As migrants from the southern border bused to New York City make their way to other parts of New York state, the effort to find them suitable housing continues.

But plans to provide them with food is also a priority.

What You Need To Know

  • Groups are preparing to feed a potential influx of southern border migrants bussed from New York City to locations in New York state

  • Feeding New York State oversees 10 food banks that work with about 5,000 partner agencies

  • The partner agencies are alerted to a potential influx of asylum seekers

Agencies at the state and local levels are preparing for a potential influx of mouths to feed.

They been meeting and working on plans so they can meet the needs of anyone who needs a meal.

"There’s a need to deal with the emergency at hand, which is the settlement and integration of the 70,000 asylum seekers that have come into our state," said Ryan Healy, advocacy manager for Feeding New York State.

So far, migrants have been moved to the Hudson Valley and Albany from New York City, with discussions of busing more to other parts of the state. It's why agencies like Feeding New York State are meeting, coordinating and preparing.

"Our 10 food banks that work in eight service areas around the state are ready to meet the rising demand that we anticipated at pantries as folks get settled," said Healy.

The agency oversees 10 food banks.

“We work with around 5,000 partner agencies, is what we call them, across the state,” Healy said. “These partner agencies will be pantries, emergency shelters, community kitchens and other emergency food programs.”

Healy says they are working together to determine where the needs are the greatest.

“They’ve been connecting with their partner agencies just to raise awareness about a potential influx of asylum seekers,” he said.

As migrants move farther from New York City, the food bank system is making changes as needed

“They’ve also been readjusting or adjusting food distribution allocations by determining which partners in the community are experiencing higher growth in demand and distribution,” Healy said.

But is there enough food to go around? 

"To be honest the answer is no,” Healy said. “In the last few years, our food banks have already been stressed as a lot of these federal policy interventions like the child tax credit, expanded SNAP benefits have sort of phased out. Our food banks are struggling to meet the demand and keep up with the demand.”

Going forward, Healy says the state will need to find a way to welcome and feed the hungry.

“New York, of course, has a long history of supporting migrants and asylum seekers and folks from all over the world coming here,” he said. “It’s one of the great things about New York state. So, we’ve got to do our part at a state level, at a local level, to make sure we are guaranteeing these services.”

Feeding New York State distributes some 400 to 500 million pounds of food annually.

Among some recent changes at the pantry level in some areas, ID requirements are being waived. Pantries are being encouraged to allow asylum seekers and others in need to visit pantries and emergency food providers more frequently than normal.

To solve some of the problems, Healy suggests investing in the Hunger Relief System, supporting expanding SNAP benefits to include applicants regardless of immigration status.

Long term, he calls for a federal solution to reform the immigration system to create more humane pathways for settlement and immigration in this country.

And Healy says a more coordinated federal, state and local response needs to be created.