On July 4th, the Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law, and with it, sweeping changes to food assistance programs that support millions of Americans. Advocates say it includes the largest cuts to SNAP in U.S. history. But this isn’t just about food budgets. Many warn of deeper ripple effects: on children’s health, educational outcomes, and the long-term stability of vulnerable households.

To understand how these changes will affect New Yorkers, I spoke with two people on the front lines of food policy: Krista Hesdorfer from Hunger Solutions New York, and Debipriya Chatterjee, a Senior Economist at the Community Service Society of New York. These conversations were recorded just before the bill was signed, but remain deeply relevant as we look ahead to how this law will be implemented.