Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Marcus Jackson, Aging Friendly Community Organizer from Encore Community Services
2:16:24
ยท
103 sec
Marcus Jackson from Encore Community Services testified about the challenges faced by homebound older adults regarding food insecurity and the need for expanded meal funding. He emphasized the importance of increasing meal delivery services and financial support for older adults in New York City.
- Encore delivers over 750,000 meals annually to homebound, medically fragile older adults
- Current city funding only covers one meal a day for five days a week, leaving many hungry over weekends
- Jackson urged for funding to provide three meals per day, seven days a week, and increased reimbursement rates to cover rising costs
- He also stressed the importance of expanding funding for financial case management services to prevent hunger
Marcus Jackson
2:16:24
Good morning members of the committee.
2:16:26
My name is Marcus Jackson, and I serve as the aging friendly community organizer for Encore Community Services.
2:16:31
I thank you for the opportunity to speak on today's topic.
2:16:35
We wanted to address homebound clients, our older adults who are stuck homebound, and the food insecurity that they face today.
2:16:42
Encore operates one of
Andrew Sokolof Diaz
2:16:43
the
Marcus Jackson
2:16:43
largest home delivered meal programs with more than 750,000 meals annually to older adults who are homebound, medically fragile, and often entirely alone.
2:16:53
For many, the meals we deliver is their only source of daily nutrition.
2:16:57
The city currently only funds one meal a day for five days a week.
2:17:01
This leaves thousands of older adults hungry over the weekends and undernourished every day.
2:17:06
We are urging the council to expand meal funding to provide three meals per day, seven days per week to older adults throughout the city who needs it.
2:17:13
We also need reimbursement that raise that reimbursement raise that actually cover providers' real costs.
2:17:19
Food prices, labor, and delivery expenses have all increased, but funding hasn't.
2:17:24
Without action, providers like Encore will be forced to make impossible decisions about what we can and can't afford to deliver.
2:17:31
Finally, nutrition is only one piece.
2:17:33
Our final our financial case managers help older adults apply for SNAP, manage health care bills, and access rent relief.
2:17:41
They're essential to preventing hunger before it starts.
2:17:45
Expanding funding for financial case management must be a part of the city's hunger response.
2:17:49
Ankara has been serving older adults for nearly fifty years, and we know what it takes to prevent hunger and help homebound clients who are stuck and in need.
2:17:58
It starts with fully funding programs at work.
2:18:01
I appreciate your time for today, and I really hope the committee takes this seriously.
2:18:06
Thank you.