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Q&A
Council member expresses concerns about inadequate support for SNAP fraud victims
1:11:13
·
134 sec
Council Member Chris Banks expresses dissatisfaction with the administration's response to SNAP benefit fraud and calls for more proactive measures to support affected individuals.
- Banks asks if agency workers reach out to provide resources or information about food pantries to those whose cards have been compromised
- He emphasizes the need to avoid adding to food insecurity and traumatizing people further
- Banks urges the administration to take more proactive steps, such as door-to-door outreach and needs assessments
- First Deputy Commissioner Jill Berry acknowledges the limitations in replacing benefits and suggests food pantries and community kitchens as alternative options
Chris Banks
1:11:13
There any agency workers that reaches out so if the individual says my card has been compromised, I have no food, Does any Is there an agency rep that reaches out to provide them with resources or give them information as to where a pantry may be?
1:11:32
I mean, reality, a lot of There are folks that call the elected officials office and there are folks that don't.
1:11:37
And we don't want folks suffering in silence.
1:11:39
So what proactive steps are you taking to help fill that gap while while you're also dealing with, you know, waiting for the legislation to take place?
1:11:49
We're talking about, you know, we don't wanna add to folks food insecurity and continue to traumatize folks.
1:11:57
I wanna know what steps are being taken to fill that gap.
Jill Berry
1:12:03
And I understand your question, and there is unfortunately very little we can do other than to let people know about to first of all protect their cards and try to prevent their benefits from being skimmed in the first place, providing outreach materials and other materials to prevent it in the first place.
1:12:22
When SNAP benefits are skimmed, it happens after December 20, we are unable to replace those benefits.
1:12:30
And for some individuals, food pantries and community kitchens are what is going to be able to backfire.
Chris Banks
1:12:38
I'm not happy with the response of the administration on this.
1:12:42
There needs to be You need to be much more proactive when we're talking about food and putting food in folks mouths especially when their card has been compromised.
1:12:54
It's no fault of their own and they're going without food.
1:12:58
The administration needs to step up and in that meantime, while their card is compromised, there needs to be information that can go to the nearest food pantries.
1:13:09
Even if it's a door to door outreach, that's being done where they're door knocking and they're doing another assessment to see what that particular individual needs are.
1:13:19
But I'm not satisfied with the with the response of the administration on that.
1:13:25
And I would urge you to do much more.
1:13:27
Thank you.