Governor Hochul Announces $8.3 Million in NY Plates Grants to Strengthen New York's Emergency Food Network

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $8.3 million in capital grants for 59 food banks and emergency food assistance organizations across New York State through the New York Providing Local Access to Essential Sustenance (NY PLATES) program. The grants will help organizations expand food storage, improve distribution and upgrade facilities that serve New Yorkers facing food insecurity.

"No New Yorker should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from," Governor Hochul said. "As Washington cuts critical food assistance programs, New York is stepping up to help the organizations that families depend on every day. These investments will give food banks and pantries the equipment and infrastructure they need to reach more people, reduce food waste and ensure families across our state have access to fresh, nutritious food."

Governor Hochul secured $10 million for NY PLATES in the FY27 Enacted Budget to strengthen the state's emergency food assistance network amid federal cuts to critical nutrition programs. The newly announced grants will support projects ranging from refrigerated trucks and expanded cold storage to building renovations and warehouse equipment.

Recipients span all 10 Regional Economic Development Council regions and include large regional food banks serving multiple counties and smaller community organizations providing direct assistance to local residents.

DASNY President & CEO Robert J. Rodriguez said, "Food banks and pantries need reliable facilities and equipment to serve their communities. These grants will help organizations make practical improvements that allow them to store more food, reduce waste and reach more families. DASNY is proud to administer NY PLATES in partnership with the Department of Health and help deliver these investments to communities across New York State."

State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, "Access to healthy, nutritious food is essential to good overall health and well-being and is a vital social determinant of health. Food banks and emergency food organizations are cornerstones of local communities across the state, ensuring no family goes hungry. These investments will help strengthen the organizations that New Yorkers rely on for food assistance. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to supporting programs that improve nutrition and advance health equity."

State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud said, "I was proud to support renewed investments in the SFY 2026-2027 budget that will help build a stronger emergency food system across New York State and New York City. As food insecurity continues to rise across the nation, and states and counties grapple with Congress' single largest divestment in SNAP, New York must ensure that emergency food resources are ready to meet what have been unprecedented demands. Thank you Governor Hochul for getting this critical funding out the door to our communities' trusted partners."

NY PLATES Award by Region

The following projects are among the largest awards in each region.

Capital Region - Total Amount Awarded $993,496

• Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, Albany County - $400,000: Installation of new cooler and freezer facilities and associated roof repairs at its Latham warehouse to expand food storage capacity.
• Franklin Community Center, Saratoga County - $125,000: Expansion of its Saratoga Springs food pantry, including additional cold storage, improved packing capacity and renovations to existing space.
• The Cohoes Connect Project, Albany County - $125,000: Purchase and installation of commercial refrigeration, freezer and food handling equipment to expand its pantry and kitchen operations.

Central New York - Total Amount Awarded $445,998

• Food Bank of Central New York, Onondaga County - $400,000: Purchase of a truck and trailer, improvements to backup power infrastructure and additional warehouse equipment to strengthen food transportation and distribution.
• Seven Valleys Health Coalition, Cortland County - $45,998: Purchase of a forklift and portable generator to support food rescue, storage and warehouse operations.

Finger Lakes - Total Amount Awarded $659,691

• Foodlink, Monroe County - $400,000: Infrastructure improvements and equipment upgrades at its Rochester food distribution center to support its regional network of food assistance providers.
• SW Food Program, Monroe County - $86,216: Purchase of a refrigerated food transportation van for The People's Pantry to safely transport fresh and perishable foods.
• The Community Place of Greater Rochester, Monroe County - $62,692: Purchase of commercial refrigeration and freezer equipment and a food transportation vehicle to support its emergency food pantry.

Long Island - Total Amount Awarded $1,084,480

• Long Island Cares, Suffolk County - $400,000: Improvements to refrigeration, warehouse equipment and supporting infrastructure to strengthen regional food storage and distribution.
• Island Harvest, Suffolk County - $399,820: Purchase of two refrigerated box trucks to expand food rescue and distribution capacity.
• Heart of the Hamptons, Suffolk County - $125,000: Purchase of a mobile food pantry truck to reach residents with limited access to transportation and food assistance.

Mid-Hudson Region - Total Amount Awarded $970,333

• Feeding Westchester, Westchester County - $400,000: Purchase of two refrigerated food distribution trucks to transport fresh and perishable foods to communities throughout Westchester County.
• Kinyan Torah, Orange County - $125,000: Purchase and installation of commercial kitchen equipment to expand kosher meal preparation and distribution capacity.
• Grace Episcopal Church, Orange County - $122,500: Installation of a walk-in cooler and freezer, along with HVAC improvements, to increase food storage capacity at its Middletown facility.

Mohawk Valley - Total Amount Awarded $125,000

• JCTOD Outreach, Oneida County - $125,000: Construction of a new food pantry warehouse and food box preparation building for Johnson Park Center in Utica.

New York City - Total Amount Awarded $2,271,725

• City Harvest, Kings County - $368,945: Installation of charging infrastructure and other improvements supporting the organization's food transportation operations in Brooklyn.
• Center for Family Life in Sunset Park, Kings County - $125,000: Renovations to improve food storage, sanitation and operations at its community food pantry.
• Community Help in Park Slope, Kings County - $125,000: Capital improvements to support the organization's food pantry and community meal services in Brooklyn.

North Country - Total Amount Awarded $243,395

• Roman Catholic Community of St. Alexander and St. Joseph Parish, Clinton County - $125,000: Facility improvements to support food pantry services at St. Joseph's Community Outreach Center in Plattsburgh.
• Joint Council for Economic Opportunity of Clinton and Franklin Counties, Clinton County - $118,396: Improvements to its Plattsburgh food pantry and distribution facility to strengthen food storage and community services.

Southern Tier - Total Amount Awarded $941,297

• Catholic Charities Food Bank of the Southern Tier, Chemung County - $400,000: Acquisition of refrigerated box trucks to expand food distribution capacity, particularly in rural communities.
• Broome County Council of Churches, Broome County - $125,000: Purchase of a refrigerated box truck for its Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse program to support food recovery and distribution.
• Corning Council for Assistance and Information for the Disabled, Chemung County - $97,502: Purchase of a refrigerated food transportation vehicle to support AIM Independent Living Center's community nutrition and food pantry delivery programs.

Western New York - Total Amount Awarded $580,142

• FeedMore Western New York, Erie County - $400,000: Purchase of a specialized forklift and refrigerated truck to increase storage and food distribution capacity at its expanded Hamburg operations.
• Olean Food Pantry, Cattaraugus County - $125,000: Installation of a rooftop solar energy system to reduce operating costs and support the organization's food assistance services.
• Cattaraugus Community Action, Cattaraugus County - $55,143: Purchase of a food recovery vehicle to expand collection and distribution of surplus food from local businesses and community partners.

View the full list of NY PLATES award recipients.

The $10 million competitive capital grant program provides funding to eligible food banks, emergency food programs and municipalities providing food relief services within New York's 10 regional food bank territories. Eligible projects include the design, construction or reconstruction of facilities, major renovations and infrastructure improvements, and purchases of essential equipment such as cold storage, freezers and food transportation vehicles.

The program is administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) in collaboration with the New York State Department of Health, Division of Nutrition - Bureau of Nutrition Security.

Applications for NY PLATES were accepted from July 8 through August 20, 2026, and evaluated based on project need, impact and viability.

With the Trump Administration cutting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that millions of New Yorkers use to feed themselves and their families, shifting unprecedented SNAP-related costs onto State and local governments, and imposing strict new requirements on SNAP recipients that will lead to New Yorkers losing SNAP benefits, Governor Hochul is committed to protecting the programs that New Yorkers and their families rely on. The FY27 Enacted State Budget invested $189 million in food assistance, including over $72 million for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP), $15 million to expand support for regional food banks and pantries and $55 million for Nourish NY, building on an additional $65 million announced in October for emergency food assistance during the federal government shutdown. The budget also provides $395 million for Universal Free School Meals, a $55 million increase, requiring participating schools to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of income; during the 2025-2026 academic year, New York provided more than 396 million free school meals, helping families save on grocery costs.

Governor Hochul also strengthened protections shielding recipients from benefit theft. Under her leadership, New York is transitioning to more secure chip-enabled EBT cards, with issuance expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027, alongside existing safeguards such as card freeze/unfreeze features and legislation to warn cardholders about electronic theft.

These investments will help strengthen the infrastructure of New York's emergency food assistance network and increase the capacity of organizations providing food relief services across the state.