Gov. Kathy Hochul announced two new initiatives on Monday during a visit to Brownsville that are designed to give a boost to struggling restaurants while also helping feed families.

The first initiative aims to help struggling restaurants with a new restaurant resiliency program, giving relief to restaurants facing pandemic-related challenges.

Gov. Hochul also signed legislation that would create a statewide restaurant meals program, which would mandate the state office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to apply for USDA approval, so that SNAP recipients can buy prepared or hot food from restaurants or delis.

“What we're doing today, by increasing the ability for people to use their SNAP benefits in restaurants directly, gives more money to our restaurants. This is how we start bringing the state back and start taking care of people in their most vulnerable times,” said Hochul. 

Before this legislation, SNAP recipients could not use their benefits to buy prepared foods, which Hochul says prevents people who are not able to cook or prepare their own meals from using SNAP benefits.

Through this program, the Food Bank for New York City will get nearly $10 million to buy prepared meals from local restaurants and deliver them to families in need.

Restaurants that want to participate in the restaurant resiliency program will first need to apply to be eligible.