Need extra help?

More than 2 million people in New York do not have enough money to buy food to meet their nutritional needs. About 1 out of 3 New Yorkers is eligible for SNAP (formally Food Stamps) and other federal assistance programs. If you need help feeding your family, here are some community resources to help you stretch your food dollars:

Find a Food Bank Near You - Click: http://www.health.state.ny.us/prevention/nutrition/hpnap/regional_foodbank_map.htm to find a food bank near you. Food banks donate food to food pantries, and they can help you find a food pantry or soup kitchen in your area. Food pantries can supply up to 3 days? worth of nutritious food. Soup kitchens can provide a hot meal for you and your family. They offer good quality food that is safe, healthy and delicious.

Need Food Stamps? - Click: http://www.mybenefits.ny.gov to find out about Food Stamps in New York State. Food Stamps can help you stretch your food dollar. The Food Stamp Program (nationally known as SNAP) supplies monthly benefits to a plastic EBT (electronic benefits transfer) card, which looks like a debit or credit card. It can be used like cash to buy food. Look for the EBT sign to find out which stores, Farmers' Markets, or roadside fruit and vegetable stands accept Food Stamps. Click on this video for more information: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08ii4ZSyFXk&list=UU_lw1VF90QI2X5A08FeNPNA&index=3&feature=plcp.

Find a Farmers' Market Near You - To find a Farmers' Market near you that accepts EBT cards (Food Stamps) go to www.snaptomarket.com.

Find a WIC Clinic Near You - Click: http://www.health.state.ny.us/prevention/nutrition/wic/ to find out if you can get WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children). The WIC nutrition program provides nutritious foods as well as breastfeeding support or formula to low-income pregnant or breastfeeding women, and infants and children up to age 5. The foods provided through the WIC program are a good source of vitamins and minerals that are often missing from the diets of women and young children.


Other Resources:

Growing Up Healthy Hotline - Click: http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/perinatal/en/guh.htm

The Growing Up Healthy Hotline provides information about health care, nutrition and other health and human services. The hotline provides information and referral 24 hours/day, seven days a week in English and Spanish and other languages. In 2007, the Growing Up Healthy Hotline received over 60,000 calls from people across the state.

Anyone can contact the Hotline by calling 1-800-522-5006. All calls are confidential. An operator will help identify the services needed and provide information on how to locate a provider in your area. Information can be obtained from the Hotline on:

  • Asthma
  • Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening
  • Children with Special Health Care Needs, Resource Directory
  • Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
  • Child Health Plus Program (CHPlus)
  • Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
  • Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
  • Domestic Violence
  • Early Intervention Program
  • Farmer's Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)
  • Family Health Plus Program (FHPlus)
  • Family Planning Program
  • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
  • Fifth Disease
  • Folic Acid
  • Genetics Services Program
  • Hepatitis B
  • HIB Disease
  • Hysterectomy
  • Immunization Program
  • Medicaid Obstetrical and Maternal Services (MOMS) Program
  • Newborn Screening
  • Oral Health
  • Perinatal Depression
  • Physically Challenged Children's Program
  • Pre- and Post-Natal Parent Education Program
  • Pregnancy and Newborn Testing, Key Messages for Pregnant Women About HIV
  • Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP)
  • Rape Crisis Program
  • School-Based Health Centers
  • Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
  • Summer Food Program, The Child Nutrition Knowledge Center
  • Tuberculosis (TB)