Food Bank CEO Margarette Purvis and Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito
June 26, 2015 – Food Bank For New York City and anti-hunger advocates across the city have been calling for increased funding in the New York City budget for programs that will help to close the meal gap, and we’re glad to announce some positive news. On June 22, 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced an agreement on the Fiscal Year 2016 New York City budget, which included additional funding for two key programs, Breakfast in the Classroom and EFAP.
Breakfast in the Classroom
The budget includes $17.9 million to phase-in breakfast in the classroom at 530 New York City elementary schools serving 339,000 students by Fiscal Year 2018. Last year’s budget agreement included universal school lunch for all stand alone middle schools in New York City and this year’s budget continues that program as well. While New York City currently provides free school breakfast to all students, implementing a breakfast in the classroom approach will help to level the playing field. Food Bank For New York City has been a longtime champion for universal school meals.
Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP)
The budget included a $1.8 million increase to EFAP food funding, a critical source of funding for emergency food providers in New York City. Each year, 1.4 million New Yorkers rely on emergency food programs such as food pantries and soup kitchens. This increase in funding to EFAP will allow more than 500 emergency food providers in all five borough to provide additional meals to New Yorkers in need. By acknowledging the need and increasing funding for EFAP, New York City is taking a step forward towards ending the meal gap.
More details around specific budget proposals will be released in the coming days. Thank you so much to everyone who called or wrote to their elected officials on behalf of the anti-hunger community! Your voices have been heard.