NYC Food Vouchers: New York City has announced the end of its food voucher program for migrant families, a move that has sparked debate and criticism. The initiative, which provided debit cards to asylum seekers staying in city-funded hotels, was intended to offer families a flexible way to buy their own groceries and baby supplies.
However, it has faced pushback from conservatives and others who viewed the program as a costly endeavor Mayor Eric Adams’s office issued a statement on the decision, noting, “As we move towards more competitive contracting for asylum seeker programs, we have chosen not to renew the emergency contract for this pilot program once the one-year term concludes.” The program will not be extended after its initial one-year emergency contract, which was managed without a bidding process.
Launched in late March, the pilot program distributed prepaid debit cards through the city’s intake center at the Roosevelt Hotel.
Approximately $3.2 million in funds were allocated to around 2,600 migrant families, giving a family of four up to $350 per week for food and essential baby items. The goal was to replace boxed-meal deliveries, which were less cost-effective and often included food that recipients didn’t consume. By comparison, the food voucher system reportedly saved the city money, costing about half of what meal deliveries did.
Mobility Capital Finance, known as MoCaFi, oversaw the program under an emergency contract worth $400,000. Despite the savings claim, the decision to terminate the program has drawn mixed reactions, especially as New York City continues to grapple with a large influx of asylum seekers.
Officials estimate that around 700 new asylum seekers are arriving each week, while roughly 1,000 are leaving during the same period.
City Comptroller Brad Lander has revoked the city’s authority to enter into further emergency contracts for migrant services, adding more scrutiny to how resources are managed. As of now, Mayor Adams has not given a specific reason for ending the voucher system.
The discontinuation of the program leaves questions about how the city will continue to support its growing population of asylum seekers.
