Where is The Caption From The Daily News Front Page That Reads “BIDEN TO NEW YORK, DROP DEAD"

 

You Should Know that in 1975, New York City was facing the worst economic crisis in New York’s History.

Then Mayor Abe Beame, Governor Hugh Carey and every New York elected city official were so desperate to prevent the city from going into Bankruptcy, they reached out to the White House and to the Republican President the Honorable President Gerald Ford.

On October 29, 1975, President Gerald Ford delivered a public speech where he denied New York’s request for federal assistance.   New York was on the brink of bankruptcy, but the cry for economic help was denied.

It is important for you to know that the day after The Republican President Gerald Ford delivered his speech, The story made it to the Front Page of the Daily News, with a scathing headline that read “FORD TO NEW YORK, DROP DEAD.” 

You should know that President Ford never uttered these words, “New York Drop Dead”.  But the New York Daily News didn’t hesitate to print this on their front pages, and this is what its readers, the entire city, and the nation read, and believed.

As a result, President Ford faced tremendous backlash; a firestorm ensued impeding his reelection bid.   He was never ever to live down the misleading Front Page of the Daily News.  

It’s a new dawn, and history is repeating itself.  New York City again is facing an economic crisis, created in part by the Democrat Administration under President Joe Biden, and his open border policies.  This has enormously increased the number of illegal migrants entering New York City.   This huge influx of migrants has placed an immense burden on the city, straining its social services resources, in Housing, Education, Financial Assistance, Medical and Hospitalization and the list goes on.

The Mayor of the City of New York, who is a Democrat same as President Biden also a Democrat, and his administration predominately all Democrats, New York elected officials also all Democrats, have been crying out to The White House requesting that President Joe Biden intervene and help New York with this Economic Crisis, and help prevent New York City from further economic devastation and imminent bankruptcy. 

As of today, my dear Readers, I have noticed two important things that are happening, and no one is commenting on them.

The first one is that President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has spoken and has publicly refused to heed Mayor Adams' call for help.   Especially when the mayor is having to deal with the additional strain brought about by the immigration crisis, which was not created by the mayor’s administration, but by the policies of the United States President Joe Biden, and in response he turns his back on New York City. 

My second observation is how silent the New York Daily News has been on this issue.   I haven’t seen this story make the Front Pages of the Daily News. 

In 1975 the New York Daily News announced to the World that President Ford told New York to “DROP DEAD”, again I remind you that those words were never uttered by the Republican President Gerald Ford, yet that’s the News we got. Now that President Biden has taken the very same stance toward New York by, obviously, not heeding to the mayor’s cry for federal help, well surprise, surprise there is no Front-Page Caption from the Daily News that should read “Biden to New York Drop Dead.”

 

I am Rev. Ruben Diaz and this is What You Should Know. 

MAYOR ADAMS, UNION LEADERS RALLY FOR WORKING PEOPLE’S AGENDA, INCLUDING EXPANDED EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT AND CHILD TAX CREDIT

 

In his State of the City Address, Mayor Adams Laid Out ‘Working People’s Agenda’ of Jobs, Safety, Housing, and Care

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today was joined by labor leaders, other elected officials, and working New Yorkers to rally state lawmakers to double down on their support for the Child Tax Credit and a further expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) — a critical initiative that Mayor Adams advocated for and secured in last year’s budget. Thanks to that expansion, a single parent with one child with an income of $14,750 saw their tax benefit increase from $181 to $905 — a 400 percent increase. A married couple with two children and an income of $25,000 saw their New York City benefit increase from $299 to $897 under the city payment — a 200 percent increase.

 

“The Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit are lifelines to so many New Yorkers,” said Mayor Adams. “That’s why we were proud to fight alongside our colleagues in Albany last year to push for an expansion of the EITC for the first time in 20 years and to get more funding for child care. And we’re not stopping there — the ‘Working People’s Agenda’ that we’re rallying for today will bring fairer wages, better benefits, and a better quality of life to working New Yorkers.” 

 

“Labor fights for workers. But we don’t stop there. We fight for our working families. For our children and for our communities. 32BJ SEIU is excited to join a powerful coalition to make permanent the New York State supplemental Child Tax Credit,” said Manny Pastreich, president, 32BJ. “When the federal government expanded the Child Tax Credit in 2021, some 120,000 New York City children were lifted out of poverty. This policy works. Let’s make sure it becomes a permanent fixture within New York’s social safety net system. This is a collective investment in the children who will lead this state one day.”

"As New Yorkers face continuously rising costs, extending and expanding the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit are common-sense proposals that will make a real difference in so many people’s lives,” said Rich Maroko, president, Hotel & Gaming Trades Council (HTC). “These tax credits will support working families who need it the most, and by promoting the well-being of children, will put New York City on more solid footing for years to come. Thank you, Mayor Adams, for actively prioritizing the economic needs of New Yorkers, especially during such a crucial time in our city’s recovery."

"Access to quality child care is an essential service for working parents across the city,” said Henry Garrido, executive director, District Council 37. “The expansion of both the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit is not only good public policy but also allows us to invest in and protect one of our most vulnerable populations: our children."

 

At today’s rally, Mayor Adams focused on state legislation that would expand eligibility for these vital tax credits to individuals with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN), as opposed to just those with Social Security numbers. Currently, a Social Security number is required to claim the EITC at the federal, state, and city level. This requirement excludes hundreds of thousands of hardworking, immigrant New Yorkers, preventing them from receiving as much as $2,000 in tax credits. In New York City, 78 percent of undocumented immigrants were in the labor force as of 2017, with a median annual income of $25,300.

"State-level Child Tax Credits have been the most effective tool for putting money directly in families’ wallets, where the funds have the power to stabilize whole households that include children,” said Davon Russell, president, Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation. “In the Bronx, which has the highest rate of child poverty in New York State, the Child Tax Credit has contributed directly to declines in child poverty. $2,000 per child equals $166 per month that can go directly for food, utilities, rent, and other essentials in an economic climate where such costs are prohibitive to many New Yorkers. Making the Child Tax Credit permanently refundable and inclusive of immigrant children could cut childhood poverty almost in half, reduce racial inequity in child poverty rates, and boost life-long social mobility. Studies of analogous cash transfer programs to families have found benefits long into the future, improving children’s educational attainments into young adulthood, enhancing health outcomes, and resulting in higher earnings for recipients later in life.”

“LIIF supports the expansion and permanent continuation of New York’s Child Tax Credit -- a proven solution for ameliorating childhood poverty,” said Kimberly Latimer-Nelligan, president, Low Income Investment Fund. “One of our strategic pillars is early care and education, so we know of the need for racial equity to be centered in these policies, as Black, Latino and other historically excluded communities experience significantly higher rates of poverty per capita.”

"The Chinese-American Planning Council urges lawmakers in Albany to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit to benefit undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers and extend the state's child care tax credit. Too many families cannot access the EITC and we know that income from these tax credits leads to better outcomes for children.” said Wayne Ho, president and CEO, Chinese-American Planning Council. “As an organization that promotes the economic empowerment of Asian American, immigrant and low-income communities we know how vital equitable access to resources are to ensuring children and families can thrive. We are proud to join Mayor Adams call to action to expand and extend these tax credits to more New Yorkers."

“Child poverty is a crisis across New York State that costs $60 billion annually in lost economic productivity and the best solution is to make better policy choices – starting with the 2024 state budget. We can lift tens of thousands of children out of poverty by making the expanded Empire State Child Tax Credit permanent and making eligible children under four and increasing the credit amount for the lowest-earning families,” said Matthew Klein, chief program and impact officer, Robin Hood. “Not only is this morally sound policy, it’s also a direct investment in the success of our society; fully refundable and inclusive tax credits increase children’s health, education and future earnings while alleviating costs on health care, child protection and crime. In fact, refusing to fund permanent reforms undermines statewide economic growth and entrenches racial disparities in poverty. We can’t afford to play politics with our children’s future. We support city leaders in calling on Albany to step up with permanent solutions that get us on the path to ending child poverty in this budget cycle."

 

Mayor Adams’ ‘Working People’s Agenda’ focuses on delivering jobs, safety, housing, and care to working New Yorkers. Other initiatives within this agenda include:

• Helping 36,000 economically disadvantaged workers and residents of high-poverty communities — including 8,000 construction workers and 28,000 service contract workers — get connected to good jobs every year by working with city partners in Albany to finally empower New York City to require companies with city contracts to hire local community members.
• Doubling the city's current rate of contracting with minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs), and awarding $25 billion in contracts to M/WBEs over the next four years and $60 billion over the next eight years.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa O' Gibson's Irish Heritage Month Celebration

It was a warm evening as the room at the Rambling House in Woodlawn was packed for Bronx Borough President Vanessa O' Gibsons Irish Heritage Month Celebration. The FDNY Pipes and Drums lined up and marched into the room followed by the Borough President. there was a short musical prelude from members of the Loughran School of Music.  Then Father David Power gave the Invocation. The Irish And American National Anthems were sung and there was an Irish Ceili Dance by Aoife Fleming.

Bronx Borough President Gibson then spoke before she called up the first of the Honorees. James (Jimmy) Casey, and Brian Golden of the Terry Daulton Jr. Toys for Kids, Kim Furletti the President of the Women of Woodlawn, Siobhan Dennehy the Director of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center, and Deirdre Sekulic Assistant Director of Social Work for Montefiore's Department of Social Services. A special Youth Award was given to Aisling Coleman a student at PS 19 in Woodlawn.

Borough President Gibson talks to one of the drummers from the FDNY Pipes and Drums Corp.

The Irish National Anthem is sung by Aoife Fleming, and the American National Anthem by Pamela Geraghty.

Borough President Gibson speaks to the audience about Irish Heritage Month.

Borough President Gibson is with Honorees James (Jimmy) Casey and Brian Golden.

(L- R) - Sile Maloney  Mistress of Ceremony, Siobhan Dennehy Emerald Isle Immigration Center, Deidre Sekulic Montefiore Hospital, Kim Furletti Women of Woodlawn, Aisling Coleman Youth Award, James (Jimmy) Casey Toy For Kids, and Deputy Bronx Borough President Janet Peguero. 

Robert Nolan past Honoree, Borough President Vanessa Gibson, former Honoree Joe McManus, and Deputy BP Janet Peguero.

Statement from Comptroller Brad Lander on Panel for Educational Policy Vote on Department of Education Budget

 

Comptroller Brad Lander released the following statement the morning after the March PEP meeting:

“Last night’s meeting of the Panel for Educational Policy was like a tale of two agencies. On the one hand I cannot overstate the importance of the Chancellor’s renewed commitment to expanding D75 special education programs so that more children with disabilities can attend schools in their local communities. The co-locations approved last night are among the first steps in achieving that goal and opening up new opportunities for greater inclusion of D75 students in our district schools.

“On the other hand, at the behest of the Department of Education, the Panel for Educational Policy voted on the Preliminary Budget in a premature and meaningless exercise.

“The Preliminary Budget is not the real budget—that’s why it’s aptly named Preliminary. The state budget, which currently accounts for 37% of the DOE’s budget, has not yet been finalized. We don’t know whether the additional $90 million needed for new weights in the Fair Student Funding formula will be added to the DOE budget or if some other valuable program will be cut. We don’t know how DOE’s enrollment projections relate to next year’s budget—which last year resulted in a $469 million cut to 77% of our schools.

“The Mayor will release his Executive Budget in April and the Council will vote in June, leaving time for the PEP to listen to public testimony and make an informed vote.

“Taking this vote now before necessary budget information is available is like grading a student’s final paper based only on their rough draft. Last year’s debate taught us that a more deliberative and democratic process for considering the budget for our public schools is needed. What happened last night was the exact opposite.”

Attorney General James Announces Indictment and Arraignment of Westchester Caseworker for Stealing More Than $300,000 from an Elderly Client

 

Westchester County Caseworker Chantel Chenault Fraudulently Withdrew

Funds Belonging to a 95-Year-Old Suffering from Dementia Under Her Care

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the indictment of Chantel Chenault, 46, of Danbury, CT, on charges of grand larceny and identity theft for stealing more than $300,000 from a 95-year-old woman with dementia while she was under Chenault’s care. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) alleges that from March 2017 through April 2022, while employed as a caseworker with Westchester County Adult Protective Services (APS), Chenault transferred over $500,000 from the elderly woman’s retirement accounts to the woman’s checking account and would bring the woman to the bank to make withdrawals multiple times per month.  Chenault also regularly used the woman’s ATM card at casinos without permission. Chenault was arraigned today in Westchester County Court before Judge Maurice Williams. Her next appearance in court is scheduled for June 15, 2023.

“Chantel Chenault used her position as a caregiver to steal from someone who trusted her and who couldn’t protect herself. This betrayal harmed the victim and harmed the reputation of the Westchester County Adult Protective Services,” said Attorney General James. “All New Yorkers deserve safe and secure services to support autonomy later in life. My office will always defend our seniors against those who attempt to exploit their vulnerability and will ensure bad actors are held accountable.”

“There is nothing more insidious than exploiting the most vulnerable among us, especially when families put their trust in a caseworker they believe will treat their loved one with the respect and dignity they deserve,” said Suzanne Miles-Gustave, Esq., Acting Commissoner, New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) “OCFS has zero tolerance for this type of abuse and referred this case directly to Attorney General James’ office for investigation. I commend the subsequent caseworker who reported the alleged criminal activity to the appropriate authorities immediately. Reinforcing what we know in OCFS, the vast majority of human services professionals approach their work with the utmost care and compassion.”

Chenault became the elderly woman’s caseworker in 2017. As the woman’s physical and mental health declined, Chenault was responsible for arranging home health aides from a third-party provider to provide care. Chenault went on medical leave in March 2022, and the new caseworker at APS assigned to the elderly woman noticed there had been a substantial drop in her assets in just a matter of months. Further investigation revealed that the woman’s bank accounts and retirement accounts were entirely depleted and as a result, she could no longer afford home health care. A forensic audit of her bank accounts identified a pattern of suspicious withdrawals and transfers, and the use of her ATM card at times when she was homebound. In total, Chenault is alleged to have stolen more than $300,000 from the woman over a five-year period. 

A Westchester County Grand Jury indicted Chenault on charges of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, Identity Theft in the First Degree, and Official Misconduct.

Attorney General James thanks the Office of Children and Family Services for the referral and the Westchester District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in this matter.

QUEENS COUPLE CHARGED IN $112,707 PUBLIC BENEFITS SCAM

 

 Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced the arrest of a Queens couple on federal charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud relating to the theft of $112,707 in state and federal benefits involving three separate public benefit programs. DOI investigated this matter in collaboration with the United States Postal Inspection Service’s New York Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, which is prosecuting the case.

 SEAD SELIMOVIC, 52, and his wife, MIRELA SELIMOVIC, 46, both of Bellerose, Queens, are each charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and face a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted. The SELIMOVICS were presented today before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and they were each released on a $50,000 bond.

 DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said, “As charged, these defendants schemed to illegally obtain public benefits, painting a false picture of their finances to claim that they were eligible and in need when, in fact, they owned numerous properties and had substantial income. I thank our federal partners, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, for their dedication in exposing the misuse of public benefits and preserving critical public funds.”

 Inspector in Charge of the New York Division Daniel B. Brubaker said, “This case highlights the Selimovics’ greed, who gamed the system and stole not just from the government, but from those who are truly in need. Their alleged actions took benefits directly from programs designed to assist those who are trying to make ends meet in an already tough economy. Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners will never tolerate this behavior and will work tirelessly to bring criminals to justice who harm the American public.”

 According to the complaint, between approximately February 2017 and January 2023, SEAD and MIRELA SELIMOVIC conspired with others, to knowingly submit applications through the United States mail for three separate public benefits programs, repeatedly providing false information in support of their applications including, understating their family income, falsely stating they each had only one residence, and falsely stating that their primary residence was a rental, among other false information.

 The Disabled Homeowners’ Exemption (“DHE”) program is a New York State program that allows local governments, including New York City, to reduce the property taxes paid by qualifying persons with disabilities — that is, those who have documented evidence of their disability and meet certain income limitations and other requirements relating to their legal residence and income.

 The federal government administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”), which subsidizes low-income households and enables them to achieve a more nutritious diet by increasing their food purchasing power. The New York State Medicaid program is a federal and state health care program providing benefits to individuals and families who meet specified financial and other eligibility requirements. For both the SNAP and Medicaid programs, beneficiaries are required to submit annual documentation supporting their eligibility.

  According to the complaint, this investigation found that the defendants filed DHE applications and repeatedly understated their family income level, falsely stating, among other things, that they each had only one residence. In fact, the defendants owned numerous rental properties in New York and Pennsylvania from which they received just over $575,000 between 2017 and 2022. In addition, SEAD SELIMOVIC repeatedly falsely stated in SNAP benefits’ applications that his primary residence was a rental, when in fact he and MIRELA SELIMOVIC owned their residence, underreported his income, and failed to report his wife as a member of his household. SEAD SELIMOVIC also applied for Medicaid benefits and in that context made repeated false statements, including with respect to his income and the income of other members of his household.

 In connection with this fraudulent scheme, between about February 2017 and January 2023, the defendants received approximately $40,707 in DHE benefits, approximately $51,091 in SNAP benefits, and approximately $20,909 in Medicaid benefits to which they were not entitled.

 DOI Commissioner Strauber thanked Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and his staff for the prosecution of this matter, which is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Chand Edwards-Balfour. Commissioner Strauber also thanked Daniel Brubaker, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector in Charge of the New York Office, and his staff, especially Postal Inspector Joseph Marcus, for their partnership on this investigation.

A complaint is an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

New York Doctor Who Performed Unnecessary Back Surgeries As Part Of Trip-And-Fall Fraud Scheme Sentenced To 36 Months In Prison

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that SADY RIBEIRO, a New York-licensed pain management doctor, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for his participation in a scheme to obtain fraudulent insurance reimbursements and other compensation from fraudulent trip-and-fall accidents.  U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein imposed today’s sentence. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Sady Ribeiro abused his professional license and broke his vow to do no harm by performing scores of medically unnecessary, invasive surgeries to increase the value of fraudulent trip-and-fall lawsuits.  In carrying out the scheme, Ribeiro and his co-conspirators preyed upon the most vulnerable members of society – many of whom were poor, drug addicts, or homeless – in order to enrich themselves.  Ribeiro now faces serious penalties for his callous crime.”

According to the Indictment, the Superseding Information, evidence presented in court, and statements made in court:

RIBEIRO, among others, was involved in an extensive fraud scheme through which fraud scheme participants defrauded businesses and insurance companies by staging trip-and-fall accidents and filing fraudulent lawsuits arising from those staged trip-and-fall accidents.

The fraud scheme participants recruited individuals (the “Patients”) to stage or falsely claim to have suffered trip-and-fall accidents at particular locations throughout the New York City area (the “Accident Sites”).  In the course of the fraud scheme, scheme participants recruited more than 400 Patients.  Members of the fraud scheme often recruited individuals who were extremely poor as Patients.  For example, it was common for Patients to ask for food when they would appear for their intake meetings with the lawyers.  Many of the Patients did not have sufficient clothing to keep them warm during the wintertime and had poor-quality shoes.  Members of the fraud scheme also recruited Patients who were drug addicts, and it was common for scheme participants to recruit Patients from homeless shelters in New York City.

In the beginning, scheme participants would instruct Patients to claim they had tripped and fallen at a particular location, when in fact, the Patients had suffered no such accidents.  Eventually, at the direction of the lawyers who filed fraudulent lawsuits on behalf of the Patients, scheme participants began to instruct Patients to stage trip-and-fall accidents, i.e., to go to a location and deliberately fall.  Common Accident Sites used during the fraud scheme included cellar doors, cracks in concrete sidewalks, and purported “potholes.”

After the staged trip-and-fall accidents, Patients were referred to specific attorneys who would file personal injury lawsuits (the “Fraudulent Lawsuits”) against the owners of the Accident Sites and/or insurance companies of the owners of the accident sites (the “Victims”).  The Fraudulent Lawsuits did not disclose that the Patients had deliberately fallen at the accident sites or, in some cases, had not fallen at all.  During the course of the fraud scheme, the defendants, together with others known and unknown, attempted to defraud the Victims of more than $31,000,000.

The Patients were also instructed to receive ongoing chiropractic and medical treatment from certain chiropractors and doctors, including RIBEIRO.  The fraud scheme participants advised the Patients that if they intended to continue with their lawsuits, they were required to undergo surgery.  As an incentive to getting surgery, the recruited Patients were offered a payment typically between $1,000 and $1,500 after they completed surgery (“Post-Surgery Payments”).  Patients generally were told to undergo two surgeries.

Doctors in the fraud scheme, including RIBEIRO, were expected to, and in fact did, conduct these surgeries, such as discectomies, regardless of the legitimate medical needs of the Patients.  RIBEIRO performed discectomies, among other medical procedures, on more than 200 Patients.  To maximize his patient base, RIBEIRO paid participants cash kickbacks in exchange for patient referrals.

In addition to the prison term, RIBEIRO, 72, of New York, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. 

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Mr. Williams also thanked the National Insurance Crime Bureau for their assistance in the investigation.

Governor Hochul Announces Initiative to Improve Food Benefit Access for Women, Infants and Children

 

Feedback Collected Through Live Online Chat Function, Interviews and Surveys Will Be Used to Improve New Yorkers' Experience with the WIC Program

Governor Delivers on State of the State Initiative to Make Customer Experience and Benefits Participation a State Priority; Improve Delivery of WIC Benefits

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a new client feedback initiative that will improve understanding of the challenges New Yorkers face enrolling in the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, also known as WIC. Announced as part of Governor Hochul's 2023 State of the State address, the New York State Department of Health will partner with Code for America to pilot a live, online chat program that will help the agency gather client feedback to improve the WIC program and enrollment statewide.

"Despite being a critical resource for struggling families, the WIC program isn't used by nearly as many New Yorkers who are eligible for these food benefits or by many families who are already enrolled in the program,"Governor Hochul said. "This initiative will help us identify ways to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles, simplify the enrollment processes and implement new technology so that struggling families have better access to healthy, nutritious foods."

Initially, Code for America will help implement a live online chat function to replace the Department of Health's automated chat bot that appears on the agency's WIC page, which will connect individuals to a WIC staffer for live interaction. Live interaction is an effective way to guide applicants through the process and enrollees with using their benefits, while also providing an invaluable source of feedback that can be coupled with client interviews and other qualitative and quantitative research methods to better understand challenges with WIC enrollment and usage.

During a second phase of the project, the Department of Health will work with Code for America to implement improvements to the WIC program based on the gathered feedback. The partnership will enable the agency to determine what is preventing eligible families from participating and taking full advantage of the program and then use that information to improve the delivery of WIC services.

The WIC program provides federal funding to states for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women; and to infants and children up to age 5 who are found to be at nutritional risk. The Department of Health was among four agencies selected to participate in the second cohort of Code for America's Safety Net Innovation Lab, which is aimed at making state-administered public benefits programs more equitable and accessible.

Nationally, about half of the families eligible for WIC participate in the program and those enrolled in the program do not consistently use their food benefits. Data compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service this year found that roughly 706,000 New Yorkers were eligible for WIC in 2020, but only 363,000 participated in the program.

Food insecurity has been consistently associated with poor health outcomes in children, including poorer overall health status, acute and chronic health problems, and limited healthcare access. Participation in WIC has been associated with healthier births, improved birth weights, reduced risk of infant mortality, better infant-feeding practices, more nutritious diets, better access to primary and preventive health care, and improved cognitive development in children, among other positive health outcomes.

The initiative with Code for America is part of Governor Hochul's plans to make government work better for New Yorkers by transforming the way they access services and benefits. Significant technological enhancements are now being implemented to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and improve access; reduce call wait times; use e-signature technology; launch 'one ID' to improve how residents interact with certain state agencies online; and modernize state agency websites and applications to improve the user experience.