January 21, 2015 – At a news conference on Sunday, Governor Andrew Cuomo outlined another component to his “2015 Opportunity Agenda,” an anti-poverty plan that includes $4.5 million in additional funding for the state’s emergency food programs, $250,000 in technical support to help child and adult care programs access federal meal reimbursements, $250,000 to help connect schools with New York farmers, and more. These actions are among the recommendations of the New York State Anti-Hunger Task Force that the Governor created over a year ago, and constitute an early commitment to the Task Force’s work. The Task Force is chaired by Food Bank For New York City President and CEO Margarette Purvis, who joined the Governor at the press conference.
Governor Cuomo’s actions could not have come at a more critical time. About 1 in 7 of our neighbors across the state—2.7 million New Yorkers—is at risk of hunger. A little more than a year since SNAP (food stamps) benefits were cut in November 2013, New Yorkers statewide have lost over 131 million meals—more than 56 million meals in New York City alone. The cuts have had a dire impact on our city, with 80% of the pantries and soup kitchens in Food Bank’s network seeing an increase in clients, and 60% having run out of food. Governor Cuomo’s plan to shore up funding for the emergency food network will mean that more struggling New Yorkers will be able to eat. The funds that he is allocating for child and adult care programs and for farm to school will help draw down federal dollars, as well as strengthen and support our state’s agricultural production. And the investment Governor Cuomo is making in technology will make accessing benefits easier for New Yorkers who need them to survive.
Over the coming months and years, closing New York State’s huge meal gap—483 million meals that New Yorkers can’t afford on their own just to have an adequate diet—will require ALL New Yorkers to pitch in. The Governor’s early investment in the recommendations of the Anti-Hunger Task Force is an important start. It is a down payment on our state’s future.