June 2026 Good News for Good Food Purchasing The New York State Legislature passes the Good Food NY Act, which enables the state to harness the massive power of public purchasing to produce a healthier food environment. The law allows municipalities to purchase locally grown, fresh and healthy foods to better meet residents’ needs while … Read more
October 2025 Hunger and Health Among New York’s Older Adults An NYHealth analysis finds more than half of all older adults in New York State have difficulty accessing affordable, quality food. Through qualitative and quantitative research, the report identifies barriers and offers recommendations to reduce hunger and support the health of older adults. Read more … Read more
October 2025 Addressing an Urgent Hunger Crisis During a federal government shutdown, the Trump Administration temporarily withholds SNAP benefits, putting 3 million New Yorkers in an immediate hunger crisis. In response, NYHealth issues an emergency grant of $1 million for swift cash relief, enabling New Yorkers at risk of hunger to feed their families with … Read more
May 2025 Healthy School Meals for All New York State Public School Students New York State makes free school meals for all truly universal, ensuring that 2.7 million students across the State have the food they need to be healthy and ready to learn. This marks the culmination of a decade of work by NYHealth … Read more
December 2022 Meaningful Improvements to Build Healthy Communities A review of the Foundation’s Building Healthy Communities program area shows it led to more than 100 healthy food access points; fostered improvements, including street lights and bike lanes, to promote safe and accessible physical activity in more than 80 public spaces; and leveraged $181 million in … Read more
August 2022 Understanding the Links Between Food and Health The NYHealth Survey of Food and Health demonstrates the strong link between food insecurity and poor health outcomes. Food-insecure New Yorkers in the 1,500-person survey were twice as likely to report unsatisfactory health as their food-secure counterparts. Related briefs based on the survey highlight the experience … Read more
December 2021 Regional Food Planning Regional partnerships across New York State receive initial support to develop food plans, laying the groundwork for future investments in implementation. Later, a video series offers an explainer on food planning, highlights the impact of a collaborative in Central New York, and offers advice to communities pursuing similar efforts. Read … Read more
January 2021 Prioritizing Healthy Food The Foundation launches the new Healthy Food, Healthy Lives program, an evolution of the food-related focus of the Building Healthy Communities program, which winds down at the end of 2021. Read more Building Healthy Communities Healthy Food, Healthy Lives
October 2020 Tracking Food Insufficiency and Mental Health during the Pandemic NYHealth releases the first analysis of Census Pulse survey data on food insufficiency among New Yorkers during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation continues to track these findings and issue periodic updates through 2025. NYHealth also issues regular reports of Pulse … Read more
September 2019 New York’s Nutrition Incentive Programs An NYHealth issue brief describes nutrition incentive programs, along with recommendations for making it easier for New Yorkers, vendors and food producers to participate. Read more Healthy Food, Healthy Lives
