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Q&A
Council Member Ayala questions DSS on federal cuts to food assistance programs
2:11:02
·
134 sec
Council Member Diana I. Ayala inquires about the impact of federal funding cuts on food assistance services in New York City, particularly focusing on organizations within the Community Food Connection (CFC) network. Commissioner Molly Wasow Park and First Deputy Commissioner Jill Barry respond, outlining the challenges and the department's efforts to support these critical services.
- DSS acknowledges the difficulty in backfilling federal cuts but commits to efficient resource allocation and emergency support where possible.
- The department is collaborating with other city agencies to coordinate food distribution and fill gaps in services.
- Council Member Ayala acknowledges DSS's follow-up on adding brick-and-mortar locations in The Bronx.
Diana I. Ayala
2:11:02
There have been multiple federal cuts to large nonprofit organizations providing food assistance services in the city.
2:11:07
These organizations operate food pantries and soup kitchens that many provide to millions of hungry city residents in need of each year.
2:11:18
Given that many of the providers within the CFC network operate on a shoestring budget and are staffed primarily with volunteers, how is HRA helping to ensure the viability of these organizations?
2:11:27
And how is HRA supporting its CFC providers who have already lost other funding or risk of losing funding due to federal funding cuts?
Molly Wasow Park
2:11:37
Yeah, this is a really challenging situation.
2:11:41
We're aware that they're you know forget the federal '26 budget, but that there's been very real pullback from an emergency food spending already.
2:11:52
As the governor has said, as the city budget director has said, as I testified in the preliminary hearing, the scope of cuts that either have happened or are set to come are such that the city and the city and state are not going be able to backfill anything, but we are in constant communication with CFC partners.
2:12:14
To the extent that we have resources that we can use to plug emergencies, we certainly will.
2:12:19
And I think as Jill and I both said having our allocation now means that we can think about how we can get things as efficient as possible and we are always thinking about additional ways that we can support people and organizations doing this really critical work.
Jocelyn Carter
2:12:37
And if I could just add, one of
Jill Barry
2:12:39
the things we're doing differently also over the last few months is not just operating in a silo.
2:12:44
We're working very closely with the other agencies within the city that do receive state funding food and federal funding for emergency food and other food sources to make sure we're all collaborating together to make sure that we are getting food really where it is most needed, that we're coordinating on that and filling in gaps wherever we can.
Diana I. Ayala
2:13:06
And I want to recognize and appreciate that you did follow-up from last hearing regarding adding some brick and mortar locations in The Bronx.