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Sandy “Intensifies” Hunger Problem For Older New Yorkers

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Thursday, November 29, 2012   

NEW YORK - It's a nationwide problem. The number of older adults facing hunger has increased by 79 percent since 2009, according to AARP. Local senior advocates say Superstorm Sandy made a bad situation even worse for older New Yorkers.

Beth Finkel, senior manager of community outreach, AARP-NY, says statewide, nearly one in four seniors over 60 who are living at home is considered nutritionally at risk. Help is often available through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program known as SNAP, she says, but warns that too many older adults are missing out.

"We are finding that more older adults are experiencing hunger, or are at risk for hunger, since the recession began. Then we had that terrible storm, and that has made it even worse for folks."

Sandy-related hunger is bad enough in parts of New Jersey that Gov. Chris Christie recently authorized Disaster SNAP relief for storm victims of all ages in 16 of that state's hardest-hit counties.

As part of the AARP Foundation Drive to End Hunger, Finkel's group is working hard to get the word out to older New Yorkers that federal food assistance is available, she says.

"Nearly 500,000 New Yorkers 60-plus are receiving SNAP benefits, and it's allowing them to maintain good health and nutrition. Yet, according to Census data, an additional 500,000 older New Yorkers could potentially be eligible."

AARP sponsored a Hunger Summit earlier this month in Albany, which Finkel says helped draw attention to the fact that New York has worked hard to eliminate roadblocks to food assistance, such as changing the program's name from food stamps to SNAP. She also notes AARP has helped raise nearly $1.3 million for Sandy relief and is currently matching donations dollar-for-dollar. More than $300,000 will go to relief in New York State.

More information about Hurricane Sandy relief is available at www.aarp.org. Hunger statistics and more information about the hunger drive are at http://endseniorhunger.aarp.org.




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