Nourishing New York

Bloomberg Fellow Cody Bloomfield began her career working in food service and farming, covering everything from planting seeds to preparing meals. But it wasn’t until she joined Hunger Solutions New York that she felt the deeper impact of her work. Today, as a Summer Nutrition Specialist, Bloomfield helps lead statewide outreach and advocacy for federal nutrition programs that touch thousands of lives every year.

Hunger Solutions New York, a statewide nonprofit, has been at the forefront of anti-hunger advocacy, most recently co-leading the campaign that secured free school meals for all students in New York schools. “Our programs are not just about food,” she explains. “They’re about ensuring children, families, and communities have access to stability and dignity.”

Her portfolio focuses on two essential child nutrition programs: the Summer Food Service Program and Summer EBT, a food benefit program that helps low-income families with school-age children buy groceries during the summer when kids might not have access to free school meals. Here, she supports schools and community-based organizations running summer meal programs. Bloomfield also works alongside state agencies to ensure that families who need services the most are aware of the food supports available to them.

Through this work, Bloomfield has rode along with the Saratoga Springs City School District’s food truck as it delivered meals during the summer break, stood alongside the food service team at Pine Bush Central School District, where weekly meal distributions supported over 900 families, and so much more. 

Libraries have become stalwart champions in the fight against hunger in New York, with over 100 libraries offering summer meals to their communities in 2025. For rural communities, where transportation and access remain barriers, these libraries are lifelines. “They provide more than books,” Bloomfield says. “They are community hubs—places of trust where families can turn for food, resources, and connection.”

Recent changes to SNAP threaten all federal nutrition programs, limiting access and shrinking eligibility for families. Bloomfield and her colleagues are on the frontlines, monitoring changes, communicating with operators, and working around the clock to find solutions. “We’re bracing for the impact, but also fighting to restore what’s been lost,” she says.

Bloomfield’s Bloomberg Fellowship has strengthened this vision. Earlier this year, she launched a Statewide Summer Nutrition Workgroup, inspired in part by her coursework at the Bloomberg School. The group meets to discuss strategies to improve access to summer meals and Summer EBT for young people across the state. “The fellowship gives me the tools to see how my work fits into the broader food system,” she reflects. “It’s about creating solutions that are sustainable and equitable.”

Whether through school meals, library partnerships, or statewide advocacy, her work underscores the message that federal nutrition programs are critical sources of support for families across New York State - and across the country. In Bloomfield’s words, “these programs help meet our most vulnerable community members’ basic needs, and offer a source of dignity and agency during hardship.”

Tune in to the livestream of the 2025 Bloomberg American Health Summit on September 30, 2025 at 9a.m. ET to watch Cody speak live!