Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits could expire for thousands of people across Long Island.

Starting March 1, a three-month clock starts for able bodied adults without a dependent who are enrolled in SNAP. At the end of three months, if they aren’t working at least 20 hours a week, they’ll lose access to SNAP for three years.

At Island Harvest Food Bank, Gregory May says there were work requirements before, but now they’re impacting more people, including those up to age 65, parents with kids over 14 years old, veterans, aged out foster kids, and the homeless.

He says around 300,000 households across the state could lose out on these benefits because of the new requirements.

“Work is a good thing, we agree with that,” May said. “We don't agree with the idea of pulling benefits from folks after three months, which is only going to exacerbate food insecurity. And it's going to lead to a greater strain on the emergency food system.”

May says more than 241,000 individuals on Long Island are living with food insecurity, and he says that number is rising every year.

“For every one meal a food bank like Island Harvest provides, SNAP provides nine,” May said. “We're not going to be able to make up the difference for folks who are losing access to SNAP because of these work requirements.”

Work requirements can be met through jobs, volunteer or community service, or education as long as it’s approved through the program. May says every person has to be reviewed, so they won’t know the full impact until June.

Island Harvest says is happy to help people apply for SNAP or figure out their paperwork for the new requirements.