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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Marcus Jackson, Aging Friendly Community Organizer at Encore Community Services
4:09:26
·
136 sec
Marcus Jackson from Encore Community Services testifies about the severe financial strain on nonprofits due to late payments from New York City. He highlights the millions owed to Encore, the impact on their programs and staff, and the ripple effects on small businesses and community credibility.
- Encore is owed up to $3 million at any given time, with some reimbursements dating back to fiscal year 2022.
- Late payments force Encore to stretch budgets, postpone supply orders, freeze new programs, and hesitate in hiring staff.
- Jackson emphasizes that these issues are systemic, calling for the city to honor its contracts and pay promptly, fairly, and consistently.
Marcus Jackson
4:09:26
Good afternoon council members.
4:09:28
I appreciate your today.
4:09:29
My name is Marcus Jackson.
4:09:30
I'm the age friendly community organizer with Encore Community Services.
4:09:34
I just wanna say that Encore exists because New York committed to care for its most vulnerable and chose nonprofits like ours to do the work.
4:09:42
Though we appreciate the announcements made about increased advances, we also know the city will recoup them back faster than they pay us for our actual invoices.
4:09:52
Our partnership with the city is now strained to the breaking point, and here's some reasons why.
4:09:57
My colleague just mentioned some unpaid bills, but Encore's owed up to 3,000,000 at any given time with reimbursements going back as far as fiscal year '20 '20 '2, including indirect cost claims that the city has already approved.
4:10:09
We have uneven enforcement while funds sit in limbo.
4:10:12
The city is quick to fine us.
4:10:14
Last month, we got collections, notice from the city, which is frankly ridiculous considering that the city owes Encore millions.
4:10:21
Pre program impact.
4:10:22
Delays force us to stretch meal budgets, postpone supply orders, freeze new programs despite rising need.
4:10:30
We hesitate to hire and retain staff without guaranteed salaries.
4:10:34
Frontline workers stay late, spend their own money, and shoulder extra stress because the mission can't pause.
4:10:41
It's a ripple effect on small businesses as well.
4:10:44
Many vendors we pay are minority and women owned.
4:10:46
We can't meet our obligations, their cash flow, and their employees' livelihoods suffer.
4:10:51
There's a community credibility impact.
4:10:54
I personally recruit local businesses and institutions to join Encore's aging friendly discount network, and it is hard to ask them to step up when the city is lagging on its own bills.
4:11:04
These are problems are these are problems that are systemic.
4:11:07
Slow contract registrations, chronic reimbursement delays, and no clear accountability.
4:11:12
New York cannot call itself a progressive leader while treating the nonprofit sector as an afterthought.
4:11:18
We are not asking for handouts.
4:11:20
We're not asking for favors, only for the city to honor its signed contracts and pay promptly, fairly, and consistently.
4:11:26
Doing so will stabilize essential services, protect small vendors, and uphold promises this the council has made for older adults.
4:11:33
Encore stands ready to keep delivering.
4:11:36
We need the city to be a reliable partner our community deserves.
4:11:40
Thank you for your time, and I'm open to any questions.