Let's change the federal poverty level to help more people

I am often asked by elected officials, donors, and visitors to our food pantries why there are 220,000 Long Islanders struggling with food insecurity. Their next question is, "How do we reduce that number?"

I tell them that if the federal government is serious about reducing food insecurity, then it must adjust the way it devises the federal poverty level (FPL) to recognize economic diversity nationwide. The cost of living in Sayville is very different from Selma, Alabama, and the cost of buying a house in Levittown is twice as much as owning a home in Louisville. The federal poverty level for a family of four is $31,200 a year. That number isn’t adequate for even a single Long Islander when you consider the costs for rent, food, health care, education, utilities, transportation, and the cost of goods.

But there may be hope on the horizon.

A bill called the Poverty Line Act has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and is gaining support from lawmakers. Joining them are more than 40 organizations comprised of anti-poverty groups, child care advocates, and food banks determined to modernize the way the federal poverty level is calculated.

In introducing the bill, Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.) said, "Since the 1960s we’ve gone into space, developed electric vehicles, and no longer rely on landlines for phone service. It’s long past time that we brought the FPL into the 21st Century as well."

The Poverty Line Act would update the way the federal poverty level is adjusted to reflect real costs and regional differences. While $31,200 might be sufficient for a family in Little Rock, Arkansas, it would be responsible to increase that amount to $46,000 for a family in Long Beach. Without such an increase, some families that want to live here now are ineligible for safety-net benefits such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, supplemental nutrition benefits for low-income women, infants, and children, and others. These benefits would allow families to focus more on health care and other essentials so they can spend their paychecks on the food they need.

Long Island Cares recently hosted a virtual meeting about the legislation with congressional aides, New York State’s 10 food banks, Feeding America, Feeding New York State, and local food pantries. Attendees expressed overwhelming support, and Long Island Rep. Tom Suozzi signed on as a co-sponsor.

Adjusting the federal poverty level isn’t a partisan issue when food insecurity has risen 30% to 50% since the pandemic ended. We expected a decrease. However, so far this year we have seen the number of people visiting our six satellite food pantries increase. During the first six months of 2024, we helped 100,989 people, compared to 75,252 people during the same period in 2023 — a 34% increase.

Similarly, between January and June 2024, Long Island Cares delivered 7.8 million pounds of food to our 335 food-assistance agencies — a 16% increase over the 6.7 million pounds distributed last year. The increase in need among our working poor is urgent and chronic.

The legislation to adjust the federal poverty level by region is a realistic step forward to reduce food insecurity. The Poverty Line Act will be high on Long Island Cares' list of legislative priorities for 2025.

This guest essay reflects the views of Paule Pachter, president and chief executive of Long Island Cares, Inc. — The Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank in Hauppauge.