Weekly News from State Senator Gustavo Rivera!

 

SENATOR RIVERA CONGRATULATES MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI ON HIS VICTORY

This week, Senator Rivera exercised his right to vote, joining thousands of neighbors in The Bronx and millions of New Yorkers across the City. Over 2 million New Yorkers voted, the largest election turnout in over 50 years.

Senator Rivera wants to congratulate Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani for running an excellent campaign, and for inspiring so many New Yorkers to engage in the political process. Senator Rivera released the following statement following the announcement of the Transition team for the Mamdani administration:

“Congratulations to the incredible Co-Chairs and Executive Director of the Mamdani Transition team. These first appointments set the tone for the incoming administration: bona fide experts tapped for their know-how and their shared mission. Governing this great City will take even more people power than winning this election did. I’m tremendously excited by what Mayor-elect Mamdani has done on day one of the transition. I look forward to supporting him and this team.”

Last Sunday, Senator Rivera attended the Veterans Day Commemoration at Memorial Grove in Van Cortlandt Park, where 21 bronze plaques were placed beneath newly planted oak trees.

Special thanks to Bronx Community Board 8, its Special Committee on Veterans Services, and the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance for holding this thoughtful event to honor our nation's veterans and active service members!

On Tuesday, November 11, our country commemorates Veterans Day where we honor the brave men and women of our Armed Forces. Their sacrifices ensure our safety and protect the freedoms we cherish as Americans. Thank you for your service and unwavering commitment to our country. 

SENATOR RIVERA ATTENDS THE 2025 SOMOS CONFERENCE IN PUERTO RICO

This week, Senator Rivera is attending the 2025 SOMOS Conference in Puerto Rico.

Senator Rivera joined Rose Duhan, CEO of Community Health Care Association of New York (CHCANYS), Jorge Rivera Agosto, Associate at Greenberg and Taurig LLP, Chef Greg Silverman, CEO of the West Side Coalition Against Hunger, Assemblyman David L. Weprin, and Elisabeth Benjamin, Vice President and Managing Director at the Community Service Society of New York for a workshop to unravel the health-related provisions in Federal Reconciliation, analyze the impacts of the recent and proposed Medicaid and SNAP cuts, and explore legislative and policy strategies to protect vulnerable families.

These experts helped participants gain a clearer understanding of the legal and policy landscape, provided data-driven strategies to mitigate harm, and discussed opportunities for coordinated advocacy and reinvestment for impacted communities. Thank you to all the panelists for joining!

THE RESULTS ARE IN: SENATOR RIVERA'S SECOND BLOOD DRIVE OF 2025 REACHED ITS BLOOD DONATION GOAL!

Last week, Senator Rivera hosted his second blood drive of the year at Fordham University, in partnership with the American Red Cross. The goal for this event was to reach at least 22 blood donors, and the goal was reached! Senator Rivera's team filled 90% of the available appointment slots and collected a total of 24 units of blood (22 Whole Blood units and 2 Power Red units; Power Red units are similar to a whole blood donation, except the machine allows you to safely donate two units of red blood cells in one session). Senator Rivera and our team greatly appreciate the teams at the American Red Cross and Fordham University who made this event possible and the Bronxites who showed up to help us meet our goal. If you missed this blood drive but would like to donate, you can find your nearest blood donation center here.

This Thanksgiving holiday, the Senate is proud to sponsor a Thanksgiving Day Student Showcase across the state.

The year's theme is “What are you thankful for?” Students are invited to submit an original poem, short essay, or artwork that expresses what they are thankful for.

Showcase submissions must be uploaded electronically in JPEG or PDF format to be featured on Senator Rivera’s website. Participants will receive a personalized certificate from their Senator in recognition of their contribution.

The submission period will remain open until November 21, 2025, to ensure student work can be published online in time for Thanksgiving Day.

SATURDAY 11/22: THE OFFICE OF BRONX DISTRICT ATTORNEY DARCEL CLARK IS HOLDING A GUN BUYBACK

Your Double Up Food Bucks are still good to use.

We know this time may feel uncertain, but Double Up Food Bucks NY is still here to help you stretch your food dollars. You can continue to use any Double Up Food Bucks you already have, whether they’re paper coupons, tokens, or electronic balances, even if your SNAP benefits are paused or your balance is $0. If you still have SNAP benefits that carry over into November, you can keep earning Double Up Food Bucks on fresh fruits and vegetables at participating locations.

 

What You Need to Know

• Grocery store coupons expire six weeks from the date they’re issued.
• Tokens and electronic balances do not expire.
• Some farmers markets will remain open through November 30.

For New York City Public School (NYCPS) students, CUNY is waiving the application fee to apply from Oct. 27 through Nov. 21. More than 80% of incoming CUNY students come from the NYCPS system. The fee will also be waived for New York State students outside of the five boroughs from Nov. 10 through Nov. 21 as part of the state’s College Application Month.