Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
Q&A
Council Member Ayala questions funding for Community Food Connection program
2:07:52
·
3 min
Council Member Diana I. Ayala inquires about the Community Food Connection (CFC) program's funding in the executive plan, expressing concern about the need for increased and baselined funding. Commissioner Molly Wasow Park and First Deputy Jill Barry respond, highlighting the administration's investment in the program and recent funding additions.
- The executive plan included an additional $36.1 million and six positions for the CFC program, bringing the FY 2026 budget to $57 million.
- The administration has made unprecedented investments in the CFC budget, but details about the six new positions were not immediately available.
- There was discussion about advocating for baselined funding, with the Commissioner indicating close work with OMB on the critical nature of the program.
Diana I. Ayala
2:07:52
Thank you.
2:07:55
Alright, I have a question regarding the community food connection program.
2:07:59
I was very glad to see that the executive plan included additional 36,100,000.0 and an additional six positions to bring the CFC fiscal twenty six budget up to 57,000,000.
2:08:11
This is a critical program for families and individuals in need of it and is often the only choice for some of our city's most vulnerable residents, which is why the council has long supported and pushed for the funding the expansion of this program.
2:08:24
While this was a positive first step, I'm still concerned, sorry, that the funding was not baseline or increased to meet the growing need.
2:08:32
The council will continue to push for fully funding this need.
2:08:36
The threat of, in actuality, of federal funding cuts has already impacted the provider network and will cause food pantries to rely more heavily on CFC and city funding.
2:08:47
As part of the fiscal twenty six preliminary budget response, the council called on the administration to add 79,100,000.0 to CFC's baseline to both restore one time funding in fiscal year twenty five and to expand the annual budget for the program to 100,000,000.
2:09:03
How was the amount of funding added in the executive plan determined and what are the six positions for and how many are currently filled?
Molly Wasow Park
2:09:12
Thank you councilmember.
2:09:14
I'm very pleased that we were able to add funding during the executive budget.
2:09:19
The amount that was added brings FY '26 up in line with FY '25.
2:09:25
The fact that we have the money available now allows us to make allocations so that the pantries know what they're going to get at the start of the fiscal year, which I think is going to allow everybody to be more efficient and will, at least on the margins, will help with addressing the need that, as you acknowledge is very real.
2:09:44
I'm gonna ask First Deputy Barry to speak to some of the additional details.
Jill Barry
2:09:50
Yeah, this administration has really invested unprecedented amounts of funding into the CFC budget which we are very pleased about.
2:09:59
Very happy to have had the money added in the executive budget this year so that we can make the FY '26 allocations timely for the July.
2:10:09
We have worked closely with other partners to help reallocate some of the CFC funding to fill in for those pantries that lost federal funding that was not our funding that was lost, but in recognition of the whole network and in support of the entire network.
2:10:27
We'll have to get back to you on the additional six staff ad.
2:10:30
This budget not the budget code includes not only CFC but also the mayor's office of food policy.
2:10:38
We'll have to get back to you on the details of that ad.
Diana I. Ayala
2:10:42
Are you guys advocating for the funding to be baselined or are you just asking for restoration and increase?
Molly Wasow Park
2:10:52
You know, we certainly work very closely with OMB on CFC.
2:10:56
They understand the critical nature of the program.
Diana I. Ayala
2:10:58
Okay.