Dear Editor,
As temperatures drop, heating costs rise for all New Yorkers. This rise in heating costs forces some to make an impossible choice – pay to keep your home at a safe temperature or buy the groceries you need to stay healthy. For those New Yorkers facing this decision, SNAP could make it possible to heat their home and buy the food they need.
SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps, is a monthly supplement to your food budget. People that participate in the program are given a special debit card called an EBT card that is used to buy groceries. Because SNAP dollars are spent at local grocery stores and farmer’s markets, SNAP is helping the residents of our community and the businesses that serve them.
With SNAP, lower income families, children, veterans, students and older adults will be able to buy the nutritious foods they need to stay strong and healthy through the winter months while keeping the heat on.
Anyone in Tioga County interested in getting more information about SNAP or getting a free and confidential prescreening to find out if they may be eligible to participate should feel free to contact me by calling (607) 201-5678 or (607) 723-8313 x590.
Sincerely,
Kathi Latson
NOEP Coordinator for Tioga County
Family Enrichment Network
Owego, N.Y.
