NYC Residents Can Reapply for Lost SNAP Benefits

If you lost SNAP under new federal work rules, you can now reapply through the city's expanded outreach.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Healthy Food

Bold vector editorial illustration of a wooden crate of greens and tomatoes beside folded tote bags on a market counter, evoking everyday access to fresh food. — New York City residents who lost SNAP food benefits under new federal work rules can now reapply, as Mayor Zohran Mamdani promoted expanded outreach at Williamsburg's Moore Street Market. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited Moore Street Market in Williamsburg on Monday to promote SNAP benefits. Beginning October 1, New Yorkers who lost SNAP benefits under new federal work requirements became eligible to reapply.

Why it matters

About 26,500 city residents lost SNAP benefits this year because of new federal work requirements, and the city is working to get eligible people re-enrolled. For households managing food costs, the outreach matters because it targets the gap between eligibility and actually receiving help.

The benefit-loss figure comes from city counts of residents affected by the new federal work requirements, and the diet figures come from surveys of food-insecure adults in the city. The surveys describe how common food hardship and low produce intake are, but they do not measure whether the new outreach or Health Bucks changes eating habits.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

New York City's mayor, whose administration is running the SNAP outreach and Health Bucks expansion.

The details

SNAP is the federal food assistance program, and the work requirements introduced by federal law this year removed benefits from some residents. The city responded with a citywide outreach campaign and new online resources to help residents check eligibility and complete re-enrollment. Separately, the city increased its Health Bucks program by 40%, a program that matches SNAP spending at participating farmers markets and farm stands so that benefit dollars stretch further toward fresh produce.

Beginning October 1, residents who lost SNAP benefits became eligible to reapply.
On Monday, November 2, 2026, Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited Moore Street Market to promote SNAP.

Health Landscape

The new federal SNAP work requirements have pushed some eligible residents off the program, which affects how much produce and balanced food low-income households can afford. Programs like Health Bucks that match SNAP spending at farmers markets are one local lever aimed at the population-level gap between food insecurity and fruit and vegetable intake.

If you lost SNAP benefits under the new federal work rules, you may now be eligible to reapply, so it is worth checking your status with the city. Produce purchases at participating farmers markets can be stretched further through the expanded Health Bucks match, which is a practical way to add fruits and vegetables to your household's meals.

The takeaway

Food insecurity and low fruit and vegetable intake tend to travel together, so benefit enrollment is a health issue as much as an economic one. If you or someone you know lost SNAP benefits, ask the city about re-enrollment and whether Health Bucks is available at a nearby market.