New Yorkers – Some New Yorkers who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can now use them to buy hot meals.
City lawmakers are optimistic that more restaurants will join in as they work to broaden options for residents.
Here’s who is eligible
The Restaurant Meals Program is available to specific SNAP households, including those aged 60 or older, individuals with disabilities, and those experiencing homelessness.
State Sen. Roxanne Persaud, representing District 19 in Brooklyn, sponsored the legislation and expressed her hope to rapidly expand the program to provide more options for qualifying New Yorkers.
“My dream is for every community to have access to the Restaurant Meals Program, where someone in every borough and district can walk into a store and say, ‘I want to use SNAP benefits to purchase a hot meal,'” Persaud said.
Brooklyn bistro say program resonates all over NYC
The new sign above Jam’It Bistro in Red Hook says, “We accept EBT and SNAP payment.” It was installed last week when the Jamaican restaurant, owned by Dawn Skeete, joined a city pilot program allowing certain customers to use their SNAP benefits with an EBT card to pay for hot meals.
“We are among the first restaurants in New York City to be approved,” Skeete said. “This gives people the chance to enjoy prepared, nutritious meals they might not be able to make themselves.”
Next to the register, Skeete has posted instructions for EBT/SNAP payments. She noted that customers are coming from all over the city, not just Brooklyn.
“We’re still spreading the word, but we’ve had individuals come from Harlem, Midwood, and even parts of Queens,” Skeete said.
Maria Sanchez, program director at the Red Hook Adult Center, highlighted the program’s benefits for seniors, including healthier eating and social interaction.
“Dining out at places like Jam’It Bistro offers seniors a chance to socialize and helps reduce social isolation,” Sanchez said.
