AdkAction is launching an emergency wing of its Fair Food Card Program in response to the sudden lapse of benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) this month. With households across the region stretching what they have while waiting for benefits, food pantries and social service organizations are working at full tilt. AdkAction is stepping in with the tools it has on hand to help fill this gap quickly and directly.
The Emergency Fair Food Card Program provides $100 to be spent this month on fresh, local foods at participating Adirondack farm stores and local grocers through a discreet, debit-style card. This rapid-response effort is designed to complement the role food pantries and other emergency providers are playing, though not a replacement for the full safety net that SNAP provides. The goal is to mobilize every available resource in the region so families feel the collective support of their community until federal assistance stabilizes.
To move swiftly, AdkAction is partnering directly with schools. School leaders and staff can identify families who will make the best and most immediate use of the cards, bypassing any application process. This reflects a core principle of AdkAction’s food security work: trust in both program participants and community-based referral partners.
“Every organization in the emergency food system is doing what they can right now,” said Sawyer Bailey, Executive Director of AdkAction. “Our Emergency Fair Food Card Program adds one more tool to the regional response recognizing not every family in need will be able to access a food pantry. It puts fresh food directly into the hands of families who can use it right away, and it supports local farmers and small businesses during a stressful moment for everyone.”
Boquet Valley Central School District was the first to receive cards on Friday, November 7. “We are proud to participate in this important initiative with AdkAction,” said Shawn Strack, Director of Student Support Services. “This partnership provides immediate relief for families and strengthens our local food system at the same time.”
The Emergency Fair Food Card Program is part of AdkAction’s long-standing work to strengthen regional food security and the local food economy.
