Counties throughout New York State are “blowing past legal deadlines to process SNAP applications,” reports nyfocus.com, and “the delays may be about to get even worse.”

Tens of thousands of New Yorkers who have applied or reapplied for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, “have had their benefits delayed for more than 30 days, in violation of federal law,” documents obtained by New York Focus show.

In fiscal year 2022, 2,839,300 New York residents, or 14% of the state population (1 in 7) received SNAP benefits, and more than 48% are in families with members who are older adults or are disabled, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Read more about the delays, including their causes, the dramatic divergences in performance between counties, and more in the full report.

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