Attorney General James Provides $2.4 Million to Brooklyn Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

 

Funds Derived from Fraudulent Charity Shut Down by AG’s Office

 New York Attorney General Letitia James provided more than $2.4 million to the Brooklyn Community Foundation (BCF) to fund substance abuse treatment programs throughout Brooklyn. The funds are derived from charitable assets that remained after the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) dissolved Canarsie A.W.A.R.E., Inc. for its participation in a scheme that exploited some of New York’s most vulnerable residents and defrauded Medicaid.

“Substance abuse is a harmful and pervasive issue in so many of our communities,” said Attorney General James. “Although recovery is never an easy journey, it can be a lot easier with access to reliable treatment programs. Today's agreement ensures that these funds will finally be used in the manner in which they were intended — to support some of our most vulnerable communities. I thank the Brooklyn Community Foundation for their partnership and dedication to helping New Yorkers access these lifesaving treatment services.”

“We are deeply honored and excited to partner with the Office of the Attorney General to redistribute these funds in a way that will repair harm and provide vital resources to trusted and thoroughly vetted community-based health providers,” said Cecilia Clarke, president and CEO of Brooklyn Community Foundation (BCF). “Brooklyn Community Foundation’s approach centers community members as key decision-makers to invest in organizations that share our commitment to racial justice. We hope this partnership will serve as a powerful new model for government and foundation collaboration.”

In 2016, as a part of the OAG’s investigation into fraudulent substance abuse providers and their exploitation of individuals living in substance abuse transitional housing — also known as “three-quarter houses” — the OAG indicted Canarsie A.W.A.R.E. Inc. — a New York not-for-profit organization that provided substance abuse treatment services — and its owner for defrauding Medicaid. In September 2018, Canarsie A.W.A.R.E. pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the first degree. In 2019, the OAG won a New York Supreme Court order to dissolve Canarsie A.W.A.R.E. and distribute its assets for use by other substance abuse treatment programs. Today’s agreement between the OAG and the BCF is in connection with the OAG’s settlement of its claims against Canarsie A.W.A.R.E. Inc.

Under New York’s Not-for Profit Corporation Law, assets remaining after the dissolution of a non-profit organization must be distributed to another non-profit organization engaged in similar activities to those of the dissolving nonprofit. The BCF — a well-established grant-making organization dedicated to mobilizing people, funds, and expertise for a fair Brooklyn — will award grants to Brooklyn not-for-profit providers of substance abuse treatment. The funds will support treatment programs providing technical assistance and capacity-building support to the grant recipients, including assistance with fundraising, financial management, and strategic planning. The BCF will also conduct site visits to the grant recipients, and monitor the recipients’ use of funds through regular reporting requirements and communications. The BCF will award the grants in each of three successive years, beginning in 2021.

NEW YORK CITY ANNOUNCES NEW MEASURES TO HOLD LANDLORDS ACCOUNTABLE FOR DANGEROUS CONDITIONS

 

New Department of Buildings regulation blocks owners of residential buildings with a high proportion of hazardous violations from obtaining new construction permits

 Mayor de Blasio joined Department of Buildings (DOB) Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca today to announce new restrictions for landlords with multiple violations for unsafe or hazardous conditions. This new measure allows DOB to deny new construction permit applications at properties where landlords may be using poor building maintenance as a tool to harass their tenants.

 

These changes build off the legislation sponsored by Council Member Justin Brannan and passed by the Council, Local Law 104 of 2019.

 

DOB will create and maintain a list of multiple dwellings in New York City with excessive, open, and hazardous DOB and Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) violations in relation to the number of residential units. The list will be updated daily. Buildings placed on this list will be prevented from obtaining new permits until the violations are resolved and the conditions are corrected, except in situations where permits are necessary to correct a violation or other select circumstances.

 

“Safe, livable, fair housing starts with accountability – and New York City will not let landlords take advantage of their tenants without consequences,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “These restrictions will encourage faster and more thorough fixes to poor building maintenance. This city is proud to stand with tenants who deserve responsive management.”

 

“We are looking out for tenants and pushing landlords to take responsibility for their properties,” said Buildings Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca. “This new measure sends a clear message to bad actors: No more business as usual. It’s past time to bring your existing buildings into compliance and derelict buildings up to code.”

 

“This Administration is using all its tools to protect tenants and hold landlords accountable.  These new measures will help us ensure that owners are making necessary repairs for existing tenants before beginning other construction work,” said HPD Commissioner Louise Carroll. “We’re grateful to DOB for their ongoing partnership in protecting New Yorkers and making sure they have safe, quality housing.”

 

The permit restriction, which begins today, will apply to violations issued on or after January 4, 2020, the date Local Law 104 of 2019 went into effect. Restrictions will address violations that have not been certified as having been resolved with DOB or cleared by HPD. The permit denials will be applied to buildings with the following ratios of violations to dwelling units:

·         Buildings with 35 or more dwelling units and two or more violations for every unit;

·         Buildings with fewer than 35 dwelling units and three or more violations for every unit.

 

The permit restrictions will also be applied to submissions in the Department’s DOB NOW portal in the near future.

 

New Yorkers are encouraged to call 311 to report any hazardous living conditions or to report non-compliant or unsafe construction conditions. For more resources, tenants can also visit the Department’s Office of the Tenant Advocate (OTA) page.

Comptroller Stringer: Mayor Must Rescind Emergency Powers and Restore Full Charter-Mandated Oversight of Contracts and Procurement

 

Following the Mayor’s calls to revoke the Governor’s emergency powers, Comptroller Stringer calls on Mayor de Blasio to apply the same principle to his own administration by rescinding Emergency Executive Order 101, Section 2, which suspends procurement laws and regulations

Since March 2020, the City has entered into 1,238 contracts under EEO 101, Section 2 totaling more than $5.2 billion of City funds committed without appropriate oversight

Comptroller Stringer: “As we approach the one-year mark of the suspension of the checks and balances that govern our City’s emergency procurement process, the Executive can no longer use the pandemic as a shield to circumvent the independent oversight enshrined in long-standing statutes and rules.”

 New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer sent a letter to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio calling on City Hall to rescind Emergency Executive Order (EEO) 101, Section 2, which suspended laws and regulations related to procurement in the city since the shutdown on March 17, 2020. Following two letters sent to the Administration in August and October of 2020 yielding no results from the City, Comptroller Stringer underscored the need to finally rescind the Mayor’s emergency powers granted to City Hall just as the Mayor recently called on the New York State Legislature to immediately revoke the Governor’s emergency powers. The City has entered into 1,238 contracts under Mayor de Blasio’s emergency powers, totaling more than $5.2 billion in City-funded contracts since March 2020 — without the statutory oversight of the Comptroller’s Office.

As the one-year anniversary of the citywide shutdown approaches, Comptroller Stringer urged the Mayor to rescind EEO 101, Section 2, and restore the City’s system of checks and balances in the contracts and procurement process to ensure full accountability, transparency, and to protect taxpayers.

The full text of the letter can be found here.

Governor Cuomo Announces More Than 120K Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Administered in 24 Hours

 

As of 11AM today, New York Providers Have Administered 95% of First Doses

Vaccine Dashboard Will Update Daily to Provide Updates on the State's Vaccine Program; Go to ny.gov/vaccinetracker

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced 121,067 first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the last 24 hours. As of 11:00 AM today, New York providers have administered 95 percent of first doses. The week 12 allocation from the federal government is in the process of being delivered to providers for administration.

"We remain locked in a footrace to keep the infection and hospitalization rate low and drive the vaccination rate up." Governor Cuomo said. "We're making progress on both fronts, and thanks to our vast network of vaccine providers and targeted community efforts, over 15 percent of all New Yorkers have now been vaccinated with at least one dose. The light at the end of the tunnel is bright, and we will continue to get shots in arms quickly and fairly until every New Yorker is vaccinated and we are the first COVID-free state.

Approximately 10 million New Yorkers are currently eligible to receive the vaccine. New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.

The 'Am I Eligible' screening tool has been updated for individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions with new appointments released on a rolling basis over the next weeks. New Yorkers can use the following to show they are eligible:

• Doctor's letter, or
• Medical information evidencing comorbidity, or
• Signed certification

Vaccination program numbers below are for doses distributed and delivered to New York for the state's vaccination program, and do not include those reserved for the federal government's Long Term Care Facility program. A breakdown of the data based on numbers reported to New York State as of 11:00 AM today is as follows. Beginning week 9, allocation totals are inclusive of some excess vaccine doses that have been reallocated from the federal Long Term Care Facility program. The allocation totals below include 20 percent of the week 12 allocation which will finish being distributed to New York provider sites on Sunday.

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

First Doses Received - 3,290,980

First Doses Administered - 3,125,025; 95%

Total Doses Received - 5,372,605

Total Doses Administered - 4,819,412

NEARLY 1,000 NURSING STUDENTS TO SUPPORT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS’ COVID-19 VACCINATION OPERATION IN CUNY PARTNERSHIP

 

Supervised by faculty, CUNY students will support vaccine operations with clerical and workflow responsibilities, appointment logistics, administering vaccines, and observing patients after receiving vaccines

 

CUNY partnership will support the necessary nursing workforce needed to accomplish the public health system’s mission of vaccinating City’s most vulnerable populations while fulfilling meaningful clinical and field experience training for students

 NYC Health + Hospitals today announced its partnership with the City University of New York (CUNY) that will provide 984 nursing students to help support with the system’s COVID-19 vaccination operation. Supervised by CUNY faculty, students will be assigned throughout the system’s 11 hospitals and Gotham Health community-based clinics to support vaccine operations. Their responsibilities will include clerical tasks, management of workflows, appointment logistics, vaccine administration, and monitoring required observation periods after patients receive their injection. The students will begin being deployed across the system this week. Time spent in vaccine clinics throughout the system will contribute to nursing and health professions students’ required clinical hours as part of their education. The number of nursing students might increase depending as eligibility and demand for vaccines increases in the coming weeks.

 

“NYC Health + Hospitals is eternally grateful for the support we’ve received from partners, like CUNY, through this pandemic that have sourced additional hands to help save lives,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President and System Chief Nurse Executive Natalia Cineas, DNP, RN, NEA-BC. “We are confident the support from these students will further facilitate swift and safe workflow as vaccine supply increases and eligibility expands.”

 

“CUNY’s health professional students are proud to support our partner, NYC Health + Hospitals, on local vaccine administration to help stop the pandemic in New York City” said CUNY University Dean for Health and Human Services, Patricia Simino Boyce, PhD, RN. “Our students – and our University – value the opportunity to serve at this important time.”

 

In order to be able to support the vaccine operations within NYC Health + Hospitals, students are required to undergo competency checks and compete specific online training modules that includs “COVID-19 Vaccine: Training for Pfizer & Moderna Vaccine Administration,” and “COVID-19 Vaccination Training for RNs & LPNs.” They will also be required to complete the system’s new employee orientation and review the general compliance/HIPAA regulations. The ability to utilize CUNY students in this capacity came after a State Department of Health Executive Order allowed students to help with operations.

 

CUNY students are scheduled to stay on with the public health system to support vaccine operations through the spring 2021 academic semester.

 

NYC Health + Hospitals continues its commitment to help vaccinate the most vulnerable New Yorkers against the Coronavirus. According to eligibility policy from the State, the public health system is vaccinating New Yorkers over 65 years of age, as well as essential workers, and people with certain co-morbidities.

 

To find a vaccine site near you and make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/.

 

Attorney General James Delivers for New York Sports Clubs and Lucille Roberts Members

 

Former Parent Company TSI to Give Up a $250,000 Bond for Charging Illegal Dues and Prohibiting Consumers from Cancelling Memberships

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that she has resolved her lawsuit against the parent company of New York Sports Clubs (NYSC) and Lucille Roberts for unlawfully charging monthly dues to members and for partaking in a variety of illegal and fraudulent practices involving consumers’ cancellation rights during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. If approved by the court, the agreement with Town Sports International (TSI) could make $250,000 available in the future for potential restitution to affected New York gym members who were charged for gym services that were not available to them.

“From the beginning of my office’s investigation, I have made clear to New York Sports Clubs and Lucille Roberts that the COVID-19 pandemic would not give them a free pass to violate the law and take advantage of members,” said Attorney General James. “A public health crisis did not give these gyms license to lift up their finances through unlawful charges. Today’s agreement holds the former parent company for these gyms accountable and brings us one step closer to recovering a $250,000 bond posted by the parent company for potential distribution to members harmed by their unlawful practices.” 

On March 16, 2020, all health clubs were ordered closed in an effort to stop the further spread of COVID-19. The vast majority of gyms and health clubs in New York responded by committing to freezing memberships at no cost until the clubs reopened, some going even further by promising to automatically credit consumers for days the clubs were closed. However, NYSC and Lucille Roberts refused to do the same, and, instead, continued to charge some members membership dues and refused to honor some cancellation requests — imposing fees and conditions on cancellation and freeze requests even though all clubs were closed. In April, Attorney General James sent a letter to TSI, demanding immediate changes to the unlawful manner in which TSI responded to the mandatory closing of gyms and health clubs.

Despite overtures that the company would change its practices, it did not. As a result, in September 2020, Attorney General James sued TSI, alleging that NYSC and Lucille Roberts clubs violated numerous New York state laws by charging consumers membership dues for services not being offered; failing to issue credits as promised; imposing unlawful fees and advance notice requirements on cancellation requests; misleading consumers about their rights to cancel their memberships; and refusing to honor cancellation requests. As part of her lawsuit, Attorney General James sought to recover a $250,000 bond the company had posted in 2015 pursuant to a provision of the New York Health Club Services Law. The law requires all gyms to post a bond to provide a source of recovery for members if the gym files for bankruptcy or violates the law. The bond is currently being held by a third-party bond company. 

Days before Attorney General James filed her lawsuit TSI filed for bankruptcy. In November 2020, the bankruptcy court approved a transaction that allowed a third-party to purchase TSI’s assets without assuming liability for any of TSI’s conduct prior to the transaction. The bankruptcy court order also required TSI’s remaining assets to be sold and for the company to be shut down. The transaction closed on November 30, 2020, and, since that time, all gyms branded New York Sports Club or Lucille Roberts have been purchased and are now operated by a different company. TSI no longer has any role in owning or managing NYSC or Lucille Roberts gyms. 

TSI’s agreement with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) requires the company to forfeit all rights to the $250,000 bond and to assist Attorney General James in obtaining the bond from the bond company. Attorney General James plans to use the $250,000 bond to provide potential restitution to affected members. NYSC and Lucille Roberts members who were improperly charged during the pandemic or denied requests for cancellation can still file complaints if they have not already done so on the OAG’s website. Consumers are encouraged to submit any documentation they have along with their complaints. 

TSI no longer owns or operates any health clubs in New York or across the country and will soon cease to exist.

Today’s agreement does not involve the new owner of NYSC or Lucille Roberts and therefore the company remains subject to all New York laws. Attorney General James advises any New Yorker who belongs to one of these gyms and believes they continue to be treated unlawfully to file a complaint with the OAG.

A RECOVERY FOR ALL OF US: MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES MAJOR NEXT STEPS TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN NYC

 

City releases requesting proposals for modern, innovative, equitable broadband infrastructure for universal broadband and announces reservation process for light poles to be used for 5G installation

Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced next steps on the City’s efforts to achieve affordable and universal broadband. With a historic $157 million capital investment, the City is releasing a Request for Proposals that invites the telecommunications industry to create new affordable broadband service options through a first-ever coordinated system of access of up to 100,000 City assets, prioritizing areas identified by the Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity. The Mayor also announced the City will accelerate the buildout of 5G by making an unprecedented 7,500 City street poles available for mobile carriers to build out their networks, mainly in underserved areas. Combined, these initiatives will reach millions of New Yorkers across all five boroughs, expanding access to quality, high-speed, and reliable internet at home or on the go. 

 

“All New Yorkers deserve affordable Internet access, no matter their zip code,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “With this historic effort to invest in broadband and 5G infrastructure, we are making tremendous strides toward closing the digital divide once and for all.” 

 

“The digital divide affects how New Yorkers live, work, go to school, and connect with their communities,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Laura Anglin. “We applaud the multi-agency effort to change the playing field to ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of where they live, have access to quality, high-speed, affordable internet service.”

 

"Internet connectivity is a means to address inequity, combat digital redlining, and create new economic opportunities for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who have been historically sidelined from the benefits of digital life," said  J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives and co-chair of the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity. "These initiatives will bring 21st century life to underserved and low-income neighborhoods and it will provide Internet connection in a way that protects user privacy, ensures affordable rates, and delivers reliable access."

 

"High-speed internet facilitates online learning, career advancement, and increased employment opportunities. It is a requirement to fully participate in today's economy," said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. “Building out access to the Internet democratizes a critical economic development tool, especially by providing our public housing residents the same opportunities as other New York City residents and is an important milestone in our fair recovery agenda." 

 

“New Yorkers need internet connectivity to continue to live, work, and learn,” said John Paul Farmer, Chief Technology Officer of the City of New York. “With this RFP, we are opening the door for industry to step up and propose a range of technologies that will modernize broadband infrastructure and bring 4G and 5G connectivity to those New Yorkers who need it most. There is no one solution -- we welcome any and all ideas and the opportunity to work with all those who share our goal of closing the digital divide in New York City.”

 

“Over the past year, we worked closely with our partners in the telecom industry and we are now poised to make New York City a leader in 5G technology,” said Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications Commissioner and Citywide Chief Information Officer Jessica Tisch. “The 5G networks we are building out across all five boroughs will serve as an engine of economic growth and recovery for years to come.”

 

"COVID-19 has rapidly shifted the way we work, learn, socialize and access critical services. For communities hardest-hit, the digital divide only compounds longstanding racial and socioeconomic disparities," said Sideya Sherman, Executive Director, Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity and EVP, Community Engagement & Partnerships, NYCHA. "This multi-agency effort will benefit all New Yorkers through greater competition while accelerating access for the communities that need it the most."

 

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 

 

The RFP represents a first in the nation approach to closing the digital divide and changing the broadband market, incentivizing companies of every size, and M/WBEs, to provide new high-performing and affordable broadband service options. The RFP is being released as a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer (MOCTO), the Department of Small Business Services (SBS), and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). Through the RFP, the City expects to engage multiple internet service providers using a range of technologies that will lower connectivity costs for New Yorkers and increase competition amongst companies while incentivizing them to reach and serve more customers with broadband starting with more than 30 target neighborhoods identified by the Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity as most impacted by COVID-19. The RFP will reach 600,000 New Yorkers, including 200,000 public housing residents.

 

The NYC Internet Master Plan indicates that 18% of New Yorkers, or 1.5 million people, have neither a home nor a mobile internet connection. New Yorkers without internet connectivity are more negatively impacted during COVID-19 without the ability to access jobs, training, education, and mental health and healthcare resources from home. 

 

18 agencies and entities have made up to 100,000 assets available for the RFP, including: Department of Social Services (DSS), Human Resources Administration (HRA); Department of Homeless Services (DHS); New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC); Department of Transportation (DOT); Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); Parks Department (Parks); Department of Sanitation (DSNY); Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS); Department of Education (DOE); Health + Hospitals (H+H); New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA); Department of Correction (DOC); New York Public Library (NYPL); Queens Public Library (QPL); Brooklyn Public Library (BPL); the Fire Department (FDNY); and the Brooklyn Navy Yard. 

 

Proposals for the RFP will be accepted from March 3rd, 2021 through April 19th, 2021. Details and submission information can be found online at http://nyc.gov/broadbandrfp. 

 

POLE-TOP RESERVATION PLAN FOR 5G

To make New York City a leader in municipal 5G deployments, the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) will make 7,500 street poles available to mobile telecommunications franchisees through the City's new online reservation portal, which streamlines the process. About 1,500 poles will be released each quarter over the next 15 months, with the first reservation phase starting this month. 

 

This doubles the number of City street poles currently reserved and will ensure that 5G is built out equitably by making 75 percent of the poles available in the outer boroughs or above 96th Street in Manhattan. This strategic approach will make sure that historically underserved and under-connected neighborhoods can benefit from 5G and its promise of broadband-like speeds for cellular data connections.

 

Wireless companies that hold one of twelve mobile telecommunications franchise agreements with DoITT will install and operate mobile equipment on City-owned light poles and privately-owned utility poles. The 5G equipment can be housed and concealed in a box that also supports 4G equipment. The Public Design Commission has approved a uniform single-tenant design, which represents an unprecedented collaboration between the City and the mobile telecommunications industry and takes the public's input into account. Additionally, after an extensive review, the Department of Buildings will issue guidance to clarify standards for siting and placement of antennas on buildings.

 

STATE LEGISLATION 

 

These efforts to bridge the digital divide will be accelerated through the enactment of legislation (S. 3141 Parker) which will level the internet service provider playing field and increase competition to lower prices. The City currently administers franchises for providers of cable companies that provide internet service but is prevented by state law from similarly engaging broadband-only companies. 

 

Providing the City with the authority to issue franchises to a broader set of companies, not just cable internet franchisees, will increase consumer choice and drive down prices of in-home broadband, enabling more lower-income households to subscribe. With this legislation, New York City can improve upon important consumer protections to advance high-quality service standards and safeguard the rights of consumers.

 

"We are excited to join our agency partners to kick off an RFP process that will take us one step closer to closing the digital divide for all those New Yorkers who lack effective access to broadband" said Department of Transportation Commissioner Hank Gutman. "Now more than ever, New Yorkers need reliable internet to connect them to essential resources, and DOT is proud to be a part of this innovative new plan. We look forward to seeing how DOT’s light poles will be creatively used to expand broadband more widely to communities across the five boroughs."

 

“COVID-19 has profoundly changed the way we live and work, emphasizing a greater need for internet access,” said Jonnel Doris, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “These initiatives are a big step forward in providing internet connectivity across the City, particularly in underserved communities. We look forward to the industry’s proposals for broadband infrastructure assets, that will ultimately help our small businesses and job seekers access the resources they need.” 

 

“As our city’s economy recovers, helping more New Yorkers access broadband connections makes our city stronger and fairer,” said James Patchett, President and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. “These innovative solutions for low-cost internet service are essential to closing the city’s digital divide and strengthening the communities most impacted by COVID-19.

 

“Inclusivity and equity are central to our Agency’s work, as demonstrated by our consistent and comprehensive efforts to level the playing field for low-income communities through a range of reforms and initiatives, strengthening services for families in need while they are in shelter so that they can get back on their feet,” said Department of Homeless Services Administrator Joslyn Carter. “The NYC Internet Master Plan takes this commitment even further, with the critical goal of continuing to bridge the digital divide for all New Yorkers, including the young New Yorkers who we serve. Helping our clients access opportunity has been our top priority from day one — and in these extraordinary times, this mission is more important than ever, which is why we have redoubled our efforts to preserve as much stability as possible while ensuring that the school-aged children we serve have the same access to education as all other New York City children. This plan will bring us closer to realizing a future where every New Yorker has equal access to opportunity and an equal chance at achieving success.”

Governor Cuomo Announces $25 Million in Additional Funding for Nourish NY to Deliver New York-Produced Agricultural Products to Families in Need Through July

 

21 Million Pounds of Surplus Agricultural Products Have Been Delivered to More Than 1.3 Million Households Across New York State Since Nourish NY Was Launched 

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced an additional $25 million has been directed to New York's network of food banks and emergency food providers to support the Nourish New York program through July 2021. Since the Governor launched Nourish NY at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, 21 million pounds of surplus agricultural products have been purchased from New York farmers and delivered to more than 1.3 million households in need across New York State. Purchasing and food distribution using this third round of funding - which was first announced during the Governor's 2021 State of the State Address - are currently underway. Since the launch of Nourish NY, a total of $60 million has been invested in the program. 

"New York is on the path to recovery from the pandemic, but there is a continued need to assist families and our farmers across the state who are still struggling," Governor Cuomo said. "Since its launch last spring, the Nourish New York initiative has had incredible success in connecting our agricultural producers with food banks in every corner of the state to bring fresh local foods to families in need. This third round of funding will help ensure that no New Yorker goes hungry and households have access to nutritious foods - while also supporting New York's agricultural economy."

The Nourish New York program provides funds to New York's food banks and emergency food providers, who then purchase agricultural products from New York farmers and dairy manufacturers and deliver the food to families in need. Emergency food providers can use Nourish New York funds to:

• Set up food-drive through events/giveaways;
• Distribute dairy vouchers that can be redeemed in grocery stores for products like cheese, yogurt, milk, sour cream, and butter, throughout the state, and/or;
• Purchase products directly from New York dairy/food manufacturers for their feeding programs.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers experienced a drastic supply chain shift, which resulted in the loss of markets and income and in the waste of fresh surplus foods, particularly fluid milk. Simultaneously, the demand for food through emergency food providers escalated across the state. Seeing the opportunity to feed residents and aid farmers, the Governor launched the Nourish New York initiative. This initiative provided $25 million in funding for the first round and $10 million in the second round of the program for the purchase of foods grown, raised, or processed in New York State and has served as an important alternative revenue stream for farmers and dairy processors during the pandemic.  More than 4,150 farms have been impacted through the program. 

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, "Over the last 10 months, the Nourish New York program has helped feed more than one million families with nutritious dairy, fruits and vegetables, and so much more, and helped make sure our farmers had a market for their products. We are proud of the connections that have been made and thank the Governor for the continued commitment to purchase goods from New York State farmers and ensure that all New Yorkers have access to healthy foods." 

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, "Throughout the pandemic, resources for many have been stretched due to job loss and other hardship.  Nourish New York, an example of the Health Across All Policies initiative, allows food banks and farmers to fill a vital public health need by ensuring that the nutritious foods that keep us healthy are reaching the tables of families who need it the most."