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New York City has announced that it will discontinue a pilot program that provided prepaid debit cards to migrant families for food purchases.
Let’s bring you up to speed: Back in February of 2023, New York City launched a pilot prepaid debit card program aimed at helping migrant families purchase food at supermarkets, grocery stores, and bodegas. The initiative was intended to reduce food costs, minimize waste, and provide “culturally appropriate food options” for migrants. The city allocated $3.6 million for the program, with $3.2 million placed on the cards for families and $400,000 paid to Mobility Capital Finance (MoCaFi) for administrative expenses. Initially supporting 500 families, the program was later scaled to serve approximately 2,600 migrant families living in city-funded hotels, with each family receiving around $350 per month for food.
What’s going on now: According to New York City officials, the program is ending due to a decrease in the migrant population requiring emergency support, reducing the immediate need for such initiatives. In a statement, Mayor Adams said, “It was an emergency contract … for one year. Now we have moved away from an emergency response because we’ve had a constant decrease in our population.”
In a statement, New York City councilwoman Joann Ariola wrote, “It’s about time! This should have never been a thing to begin with. Glad that we are finally ending this drain on taxpayer dollars.”
Support & Criticism:
Those against providing prepaid debit cards to migrant families criticized the program for allegedly favoring migrants over struggling New Yorkers, arguing that it created an imbalance in how city resources were allocated. They would often say that taxpayer dollars should prioritize native New Yorkers facing similar food insecurity challenges, not people illegally in the country.
Supporters of the prepaid debit card program argued that it provided essential aid to migrant families facing significant challenges, enabling them to access food from New York City businesses. Advocates, including Mayor Eric Adams, also stressed that the program reduced food costs and waste. Previously, the city spent millions of dollars on food provisions for migrants, with a significant portion of the food going to waste.
