“The New York State Anti-Hunger Task Force will be a key resource and tool in our ongoing efforts to eliminate hunger in New York,” Governor Cuomo said. “By bringing experts, officials and advocates to the same table, we can enhance the effectiveness of our fight against hunger by better coordinating the significant public and private resources already dedicated to this important issue. Hunger in New York is a long-term problem that cannot be solved in a matter of weeks, so this Task Force is the right step towards developing lasting solutions to increase access to food for those in need and build healthier and more prosperous communities. In the 21st century, it is simply intolerable that one million New York children are going to bed hungry and so many households are struggling to put food on the table. I thank the members of the Task Force for their dedication and service.”
Nearly 14% of New York households struggle with hunger, and at least 1 million New York children live in households that do not have regular and consistent access to food. Yet nearly 1 in 4 New Yorkers who are eligible for food stamps do not receive them.
The Anti-Hunger Task Force will develop strategies to:· Maximize resources to fight hunger in New York State by increasing participation in federally funded programs like SNAP, school breakfast and school lunch;
· Use public/private partnerships to increase outreach and leverage the power of government, businesses and the non-profit sectors working together; and
· Improve access to quality, healthy food through the use of New York farm products and locally produced goods to combat hunger while creating jobs and supporting economic development.
The Anti-Hunger Task Force will be chaired by Margarette Purvis, President & CEO of the Food Bank of New York City, and will include experts in hunger and nutrition, anti-hunger advocates, service providers, representatives of the agriculture industry, local government and education officials, representatives of the non-profit and private sectors, and members of the Governor’s Cabinet.
Billy Shore, Share Our Strength Founder and CEO, said, “The Anti-Hunger Task Force is a critical step forward in making sure the children of New York State have healthy food every day. We stand ready to work with the Governor and others to give voice to our most vulnerable children, and to ensure that no kid goes hungry in New York.”
New York has taken significant steps in the past three years to extend food assistance to New Yorkers in need. In 2011, Governor Cuomo launched the FreshConnect program, which brings fresh, locally grown food to underserved communities. The FreshConnect program includes projects such as youth markets, delivery of products to low-income housing facilities and new initiatives at traditional farmers’ markets.
The Governor also ended the finger imaging requirement for food stamp applicants and recipients, simplifying the application process and removing a barrier to reducing hunger for children and adults.
In addition, Governor Cuomo recently announced nearly $5 million in funding from the Superstorm Sandy Social Services Block Grant to support continued food relief for Sandy victims and, in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, announced a 15% funding increase for food banks and other emergency food programs.
The Catskill Chronicle 
Governor Cuomo Announces Additional Funding for After-School Programs in the Mid-Hudson Valley
Posted in Comments, tagged After school programs, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor Cuomo, Monticello on November 18, 2017| 1 Comment »
Story and photos by Carol Montana
MONTICELLO, NY – Governor Cuomo came to the Rutherford Elementary School in Monticello on Thursday, November 16, where an overflow crowd was assembled to greet him.
Over 200 students were in the audience, alongside Sullivan County Legislators, county, town, village and school officials. Cuomo was there to announce an expansion of after-school programs in the Mid-Hudson Valley, part of a statewide push to give students productive things to do after 3:00 p.m.
Introduced by Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, who Cuomo called “a superstar in Albany and great friend of mine,” Cuomo stated that he was very “proud to be able to say that New York State invests more money per pupil in education than any state in the United States.”
Speaking directly to the students, Cuomo explained that competition for jobs was going to be fierce. “So, one of the things we’re doing is changing the idea that school is over at 3:00, because there are more and better things we can do after 3:00 then you just go home and hang out at home. That means your parents have to be there or somebody has to be there to watch you, and there are things that you can do after 3:00 that help you grow and make you better. There’s exercise things you can do, more education that you can do, and going home at 3:00 and just playing with video games doesn’t really help you.”
The Governor mentioned that his father used to say, “video games melt your brain,” and then joked that he listened to his father, but his brother did not, and “now, one side of his head is a little flatter than the other side. I think that was from the melting of the brain from the video games.”
Cuomo then announced funding for services and programs that go on after 3:00 “so you can get more help, more assistance, more growth. And we’re spending $35 million all across the state and we asked schools to come up with the best ideas and we are funding the best ideas. And here are the results in the mid-Hudson district.
“Monticello Central School District, which is where we are, is receiving funding for 885 more slots. … Fallsburg Central School District, 400 new slots.” Mentioning Poughkeepsie and Ramapo, among others, Cuomo said that there will be 4,800 new slots in the mid-Hudson Valley.
As a result of previous funding, Cuomo announced that “… these programs are working. The State now has the highest graduation rate we’ve ever had at 79 percent.”
The Governor talked about New York’s free college tuition plan, and then asked the assembled students why they thought the state was “investing all this time all this money all this energy. The first reason is because it’s smart. Because when you get smart you get talented it helps all of us because it helps businesses want to come here because we have the best educated work force.” He asked the students for the second reason and gave the hint that the answer was a four-letter word, offering a very special state gold coin to the student who had the correct answer.
The winner, a young lady named Xyaira, gave the answer “love.” “Let’s give Xyaira a big round of applause,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo. “It is because we love you and there’s nothing more important. Congratulations.”
Cuomo left the stage then to rousing applause.
Click any service in this box to share this post with your friends!
Read Full Post »