Providers and advocates urge restoration of $500,000 for food assistance programs

At the March 31 public hearing the Coordinated Food Assistance Network (CFAN) and several service providers urged the Board of Alders Finance Committee to restore an annual $500,000 allocation for food assistance that was included in last year’s budget but not the mayor’s FY27 proposal.

Alicia Santilli (co‑chair, CFAN) told aldermen that last year’s combined general‑fund and CDBG allocation helped feed roughly 2,200 families through school breaks, supported pantries and soup kitchens, and underwrote SNAP outreach. "This funding is extremely vital," Santilli said, pointing to New Haven’s higher food‑insecurity rate (testimony cited 24% in 2025) and calls for a stable municipal funding line.

Steve Whirlin, executive director of Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, said the $500,000 was "real money" for community providers and argued restoring it would both meet urgent need and signal municipal commitment that can influence state policy makers. Several pantries and front‑line directors described spikes in demand after federal changes to SNAP work requirements and provided local counts of extra clients served (one pantry recorded 355 people on March 1 after program changes).

Why it matters: Witnesses framed the funding as a practical and symbolic tool to prevent hunger during school breaks, offset federal program losses, and keep community food programs operational. The request is a discrete dollar amount (speakers repeatedly asked that $500,000 be restored), and the committee will consider budget amendments during its review process.