SNAP cuts are squeezing NYC bodegas, owners say

New York City's bodegas are starting to feel the federal government's new SNAP work rules, according to owners and advocates who spoke to Healthbeat in a story published by THE CITY.

About 26,500 New Yorkers have lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits under work requirements tied to President Donald Trump's 2025 tax and spending law, H.R. 1, according to the city's Department of Social Services. For many households, that means roughly $200 less a month for food.

Why corner stores feel it

SNAP purchases generally make up 15% to 20% of a bodega's revenue, depending on the neighborhood, said Francisco Marte, president of the Bodega and Small Business Group, who estimates the city has 10,000 to 12,000 bodegas. One owner on the Grand Concourse in Tremont told the outlet that EBT accounts for as much as 30% of her sales, and that she would have to close if she stopped accepting it. An NYU nutrition researcher warned that lost revenue could become chronic and close stores in the neighborhoods that need them most.

Who lost benefits

The rules took effect March 1 and gave recipients ages 18 to 64 three months to show they were working, volunteering or in school. Benefits began ending in June. DSS data cited by THE CITY show 40% of the case closings involved Brooklyn residents and 26% involved Bronx residents, and slightly more than half involved single adults ages 18 to 35. Gothamist reported earlier this month that more than 300,000 New Yorkers were subject to the rules.

The Bronx qualifies for an exemption from the new Medicaid work requirements because of its high unemployment, but a state Health Department spokesperson told Healthbeat that the exemption does not extend to SNAP, which has separate rules. The law also shifts more administrative costs to state and local governments. The city, where about 1.8 million people rely on SNAP, expects to absorb nearly $111 million.

How to reapply

Some of the restrictions reset every three years, so people who lost benefits can reapply as of Oct. 1 and get at least three more months, Gothamist reported. Help is available at 718-SNAP-NOW (718-762-7669), on the ACCESS HRA app or at nyc.gov/accesshra.