Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Paula Inhargue, Policy Analyst at United Neighborhood Houses
5:41:34
ยท
178 sec
Paula Inhargue, a policy analyst at United Neighborhood Houses, testified about the importance of sustaining funding for adult literacy programs in New York City. She emphasized the crucial role of settlement houses in supporting immigrant communities and the need for the FY2026 budget to fund programs that support immigrant families.
- Highlighted the impact of intensified federal enforcement policies on immigrant communities
- Discussed the geographical restrictions in DYCD's adult literacy RFP and the resulting funding gaps
- Stressed the importance of city council funding in sustaining adult literacy programs, especially for organizations excluded from the current DYCD literacy portfolio
Paula Inhargue
5:41:34
Thank you, chair and members of the New York City Council for committing today's budget hearing.
5:41:39
My name is Paoli Narre, and I'm a policy analyst at United Neighborhood Houses.
5:41:44
UNH is a policy and social change organization representing neighborhood settlement houses that reach New Yorkers from all walks of life.
5:41:51
We lead advocacy and partner with our members on a broad range of issues, including civic and community engagement, early education, and immigration issues among others.
5:42:00
As the new federal administration rapidly targets immigrants across the country, intensified enforcement policies are increasing the vulnerability of immigrant communities.
5:42:10
Settlement houses play a crucial role in providing these communities with the support and protection they need, and the New York City F Y Twenty Six budget must acknowledge this destructive reality by funding programs that support immigrant families.
5:42:22
My testimony today will focus on sustaining funding for adult literacy in New York City, and my written testimony goes into more detail.
5:42:30
UNH advocates for an adult literacy system that provides quality, comprehensive, and accessible educational system services for New Yorkers.
5:42:38
No cost community based adult literacy programs enable New Yorkers to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to secure higher paying jobs that can sustain their families, support the children's education, and advocate for themselves and their families.
5:42:51
Adult literacy programs run by settlement houses and other community based organizations often serve as entry points for adult learners who are subsequently connected to workforce training support and other wraparound services that strengthen their family's economic and social well-being.
5:43:08
In FY '20 '5, DYCD's adult literacy RFP introduced new geographical restrictions that limited the eligibility of organizations to apply for funding based on their location.
5:43:18
And these changes left a lot of organizations without funding to sustain their adult literacy program.
5:43:24
In response, the city council increased funding for adult literacy initiatives to 16,500,000.0, and it was an impactful increase that has been critical for sustaining programs run by settlement houses and other community based organizations.
5:43:36
For four UNH settlement house adult literacy program providers, this discretionary funding is the sole funding source sustaining the programs.
5:43:44
And without renewed funding, the organizations that are excluded from the current DYCD literacy portfolio will not be able to offer adult literacy programming after June thirtieth of this year, leaving thousands of students without classes.
5:43:56
It is necessary for adult learners to have stable programs and support as continued city council funding support staffing and essential program infrastructure, and thousands of adult learners depend on these programs for essential skills.
5:44:08
Ideally, these programs would be supported by a robust baseline program managed by DYCD that offered students and providers stability with year over year funding.
5:44:18
However, until DYCD revisits its unnecessarily restrictive stance on geographic priority for programming, it is crucial that the city council continue this support to make sure that adult learners continue to have access to quality classes.
5:44:31
Thank you.