The demand at food pantries around the state is back up to pandemic-levels due to high food prices, granted and other economic factors.

Now residents facing food insecurity also have to contend with a drop in federal benefits.

An emergency SNAP or food stamp program, ended nationwide a week ago and despite state efforts, advocates are warning we're on the verge of a "hunger cliff."

Contributing writer Jon Hurdle joins me now to explain, as part of our Hunger in New Jersey series.

So Jon, I thought that when the Murphy administration increased the minimum SNAP payment for folks in the state, it was supposed to offset what was happening at the federal level.

Why then are we seeing gaps for some people like you reported?

Well the issue here is that the new state minimum of $95 a month in SNAP payments will only partially offset the ending of the federal emergency allocation, Now that was always a temporary measure.

It was introduced to help people help low-income people with the cost of food during the pandemic and that came to um that came to an end at the end of February.

So talk to me about what that means for an average family and and where they're going to turn from here.

You've been reporting for years now about the stress on our food pantries.

Well indeed, what I'm hearing from food pantries this time around is that when people realize that they that there are federal checks that they've been uh relying on for around about three years now are are much smaller than they have been for all that time, then they're going to simply turn to food pantries.

I mean part of the reason for that is simply because they they have less money but also what I'm hearing from food pantries uh um is that uh people are going to be they're going to be disinclined to uh to wrangle with more bureaucracy and applying for another benefit and so they may find that it's just easier to go to the local food pantries and get what they need there.

So I mean they're expecting the demand the food pantries that is but can they handle it and is the state equipped to step in to give them some aid if need be?

What I'm hearing from the food pantries is that yes people will be fed uh that you know they are expecting uh a significant increase in the number of uh in uh in the number of people that that are turning to them.

In fact, one food pantry that I spoke with in Newark predicted that the uh the demand increase in the coming month could be as high as 50%.

But their increased uh supply is going to uh is going to depend on what they get from the food banks which of course are the effective wholesalers of the emergency food network in New Jersey.

Is there any talk about legislative action here to help give a boost?

Well I think the legislature will say uh that uh that they have through the law, the new law, that provided the uh higher minimum SNAP payment, that law was signed by Governor Murphy on February 8.

They will say that uh that the state has already done its part here.

But I've also heard from Speaker Coughlin in the Assembly and that he does recognize that the so-called "hunger cliff" still exists uh but of course the uh the legislature has done its part to uh to try to minimize the the effect of that.

Very tough situation.

All right, Jon Hurdle for us.

Thanks so much Jon.

You're welcome.

Funding for "Hunger in New Jersey" has been provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Working with others to build a national culture of health that provides everyone in America a fair and just opportunity for health and well-being.