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Brooklyn Woman Sues NYC After Being Denied SNAP Payments for Months

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A 71-year-old Brooklyn resident who lives alone is worried about going to sleep one day and never waking up.

As per court documents, Maria Forest’s anxiety is the result of a dietary adjustment she had to make after mysteriously losing her monthly benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. A woman has diabetes and has to purchase less healthy food because she doesn’t have the extra money. Forest, who walks with a walking stick due to a spinal injury, has also had to decide about paying for meals and buying painkillers.

She is among a group of plaintiffs in a lawsuit brought against New York City because the city’s late benefit payments left hundreds of SNAP recipients in a problem. The Brooklyn resident last got assistance in September.

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Since that day, she has contacted up to 20 different agency numbers per day in an attempt to receive assistance but has been unsuccessful.

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The Department of Social Services in New York City seems to have a 20% vacancy rate, based on a report by the city comptroller from December 2022. SNAP benefits are managed in the 5 boroughs by DSS/Human Resources Administration.