NEW YORK – Friday, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani launched a new SNAP and Medicaid Resources webpage to help New Yorkers navigate new federal work requirements, determine whether they qualify for exemptions and maintain access to the food assistance and health care they rely on.
As the federal government imposes new barriers to essential benefits, the webpage at NYC.gov/workrules gives New Yorkers a direct way to understand how the changes affect them and what steps they need to maintain coverage and assistance. By answering a series of questions about their age, work status, education and other circumstances, users can learn whether they may be subject to the new requirements, qualify for an exemption or need to take additional steps to remain eligible.
The site also connects New Yorkers with SNAP and Medicaid hotlines, food banks, job boards, approved volunteer opportunities and NYC Care. Those who have lost benefits or do not qualify for SNAP or Medicaid can find information about low- and no-cost health care through NYC Health + Hospitals’ NYC Care program and locate food assistance near them.
“Health care and nutritious food are basic necessities that must be affordable and accessible to everyone,” said Mayor Mamdani. “While the federal government makes it harder for New Yorkers to put food on the table and get the health care they need, our administration is helping people keep the benefits they rely on.”
“Millions of New York City residents rely on essential public assistance programs like Medicaid and SNAP to access nutritious food and affordable health care. The federal government should be making it easier, not harder, for people to receive those benefits,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga. “Our administration is fighting to protect New Yorkers, connect them with the services they need and ensure that no one loses access to critical support simply because navigating the system is too difficult.”
“As the federal government makes sweeping changes affecting thousands of New Yorkers, the Mamdani administration is stepping up to help those impacted,” said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin. “Health care, housing, and financial stability are foundational to healthy communities. This new webpage makes it easier for New Yorkers to get clear information, find support, and take the next steps to protect their well-being.”
“While Washington puts new barriers between families and the food and health care they rely on, New York City is stepping up,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Erin Dalton. “This new resource builds on the work our agencies have done together to keep more than 220,000 New Yorkers from losing SNAP because of new federal rules. We’ll keep using every tool we have to help those who lost benefits re-enroll and stay connected.”
The SNAP and Medicaid Resources webpage is part of the Mamdani administration’s broader effort to help New Yorkers navigate sweeping federal changes to public benefits. It is designed to help users determine whether they are adults who are subject to SNAP work requirements, or whether they may qualify for an exemption.
Many New Yorkers may qualify for exemptions without knowing it. The webpage helps users identify exemptions and find information about applying for a waiver or documenting their eligibility[BA1] [AM2] .
For New Yorkers who are subject to the requirements, the webpage provides guidance on determining whether they meet the federal work requirements and connects them with resources to help them comply, including employment opportunities, approved volunteer placements and benefits assistance hotlines. For New Yorkers who have lost benefits or are ineligible for SNAP or Medicaid, the webpage offers pathways to support, including information about NYC Care and a map [DE3] [AM4] of food resources across the five boroughs.
Federal work requirements put New Yorkers at risk
On March 1, 2026, expanded federal SNAP work requirements took effect for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs). Thousands of New Yorkers who were previously exempt must now meet federal work requirements to keep their benefits.
Beginning January 1, 2027, new federal Medicaid work requirements and additional documentation rules could put approximately 900,000[LS5] [AM6] New Yorkers at risk of losing their health coverage.
In response, the Mamdani administration has mobilized an unprecedented, citywide effort to help New Yorkers understand the changes, identify exemptions and maintain access to essential benefits.
Since January, the City’s efforts have included:
- Expansive door-to-door and phone outreach: The Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU) has knocked on 10,000 doors and made 40,000 person-to-person phone calls to connect with New Yorkers at risk of losing benefits.
- Interagency coordination: City agencies are working together to help SNAP recipients identify, claim[BA7] and document eligible exemptions.
- Community partnerships: The City has partnered with more than 100 community-based organizations to develop volunteer, workforce training and service opportunities that meet federal work requirements.
- Public awareness campaigns: The City has distributed flyers and palm cards and used social media, bus shelters, LinkNYC kiosks, NYC Radio and other City-owned communications channels to inform New Yorkers about the changes.
- Training and community engagement: The City has hosted webinars for more than 6,500 partners, nearly 50 training sessions and more than 40 pop-up events in communities serving New Yorkers at risk of losing benefits.
This week, Mayor Mamdani launched the Health and Affordability Resource Team (HART), a new outreach team dedicated to helping New Yorkers navigate sweeping federal changes to Medicaid and SNAP and connect them with the benefits and services they need.
The Mamdani administration has already assisted more than 220,000[LS8] [AM9] [LS10] New Yorkers at risk of losing SNAP benefits, reducing the number of people projected to lose assistance by 65%. More than 98% of eligible SNAP recipients maintained access to food assistance.
Earlier this month, Mayor Mamdani also released a video alerting New Yorkers who lost their SNAP benefits to a new enrollment period beginning October 1, 2026, and encouraging them to reapply.
The administration will continue working across agencies and with community partners to ensure New Yorkers can access accurate information, understand their options and receive the support they are eligible for.
