Governor Hochul Awards $100 Million to Expand Free and Low-Cost Afterschool Programs Across New York State

Strengthening Afterschool Programs Serving Nearly 40,000 Children

Advancing Governor’s Mission To Expand Access to Affordable Child Care

State’s Child Care Assistance Program Covers 130,000 Children, With Most Eligible Families Paying No More Than $15 Per Week for Child Care

State Officials Participate in National Lights on Afterschool Initiative

Governor Kathy Hochul announced New York State has awarded about $100 million in grants to support free and low-cost afterschool programs serving nearly 40,000 children in high-need areas statewide. State officials from the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) also participated in the 25th Annual Lights on Afterschool initiative today by visiting programs in New York City and the Capital Region.

“Afterschool programs give our kids outlets to explore their creativity, build their skills and thrive in a supportive environment,” Governor Hochul said. “We're continuing to invest in free and low-cost afterschool programs and expanding access to affordable child care to help young people grow and give families the support they need.”

The State grants announced today were awarded by OCFS through the Learning and Enrichment Afterschool Program Supports (LEAPS) initiative to help fund new or continuing afterschool programs targeted to children in high-need areas in New York State.

These LEAPS grants were awarded to a total of 238 afterschool program sites statewide. The full list of awarded sites can be seen here.

Region	Number of Sites Awarded	Funding Awarded
Capital Region	22	$6,480,000
Central New York	18	$6,400,000
Finger Lakes	17	$5,750,000
Long Island	20	$8,920,000
Mid-Hudson	22	$12,340,000
Mohawk Valley	19	$4,960,000
New York City	74	$38,690,000
North Country	14	$3,380,000
Southern Tier	5	$1,530,000
Western New York	27	$8,450,000

 

As a part of the OCFS Commissioner's participation in the Lights On Afterschool initiative, Dr. DaMiaHarris-Madden visited programs in the Bronx operated by the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families and Good Shepherd Services, while other members of the OCFS leadership team visited the Lansingburgh Boys & Girls Club in Troy. Now in its 25th year, the initiative recognizes the many ways afterschool programs support students by offering educational opportunities and the development of new skills.

Programs eligible for LEAPS grants included State-licensed school-age child care programs – or organizations interested in becoming a licensed school-age child care provider – that serve children in high-need school districts. Per-site funding amounts were based on each program's OCFS-licensed capacity. The grants are intended to fund the critical programming and other costs of developing and running the program. Grants are contingent on programs completing all licensing and contract requirements and therefore subject to change.

The grants announced today are part of Governor Hochul’s continued efforts to make high-quality child care more affordable and accessible. Other recent efforts include expanding access to the State's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). Eligible families can apply online for CCAP, which currently covers free or low-cost child care for 130,000 children statewide. While eligibility is based on multiple factors, including income and family size, many families may qualify for CCAP if their household income is at or below 85 percent of the State Median Income. Currently, 85 percent of the State Median Income for a family of four is approximately $108,000. Under CCAP, most eligible families pay no more than $15 per week for child care.

DEC Encourages New Yorkers to Help Protect Bats During 'Bat Week'

 

Annual Observance from Oct. 24-31 Raises Public Awareness to Reduce Human Disturbance to Endangered and Threatened Bats

To raise awareness about the critical role of bats in the environment during internationally recognized Bat Week, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar encouraged outdoor enthusiasts to refrain from visiting caves and mines during the fall and winter months. Bats spend the winter hibernating in underground cavities where relatively constant, warm temperatures protect them from harsh winter temperatures above ground. Bats' health is particularly vulnerable to human visitation at these "hibernacula” in the winter, and especially harmful since the arrival of white-nose syndrome, a fungus that has killed more than 90 percent of bats at hibernation sites in the state.

 

“Bats play a critical role in our environment and in pollination of many commercially and locally important fruit species,” said Interim Commissioner Mahar. “In New York State, native bats help control insect populations and temper the impacts of outbreaks of spongy moths and other common forest and agricultural pests. DEC urges outdoor adventurers to protect New York’s bats by avoiding caves and mines altogether. Even the quietest cave visits will disturb bats settling down for the winter.”

 

There are nine species of bats in New York, six of which are “cave bats,” meaning they hibernate in caves and mines throughout the winter, while the three tree bat species migrate to warmer areas. All of these bats need to build up fat stores in the fall to ensure they have enough energy to carry them through their long hibernation or migration; they do this by consuming up to their bodyweight in insects each night. During this time, known as the fall swarm, bats are also congregating in large numbers to mate. For cave bats, this means they are using their hibernation sites to find potential mates before hunkering down inside for the winter, making these sites even more valuable to them. 

 

All bat species help control pest populations by feeding on insects. Their voracious appetites can help limit the amount of pesticides needed for crops and gardens, reduce mosquito numbers, and may help limit the spread of invasive insects in New York. In recent years, scientists have found evidence of recovery of the once-common little brown bat throughout New York State. While this provides a hopeful outlook for this species, similar evidence of stabilization has not been seen for other severely affected bat species. Two species of bats, Indiana bat and northern long-eared bat, are currently protected under federal and State endangered species law. Indiana bat was listed as endangered before white-nose syndrome began affecting bat populations. The Northern long-eared bat population is one percent of its previous size, making this species the most severely affected by white-nose syndrome.

 

DEC reminds the public to follow all posted notices restricting access to caves and mines. If outdoor enthusiasts discover bats hibernating in a cave, DEC urges visitors to leave quickly and quietly to minimize disturbance. Anyone entering a listed bat hibernation site from Oct. 1 through April 30, the typical hibernation period for bats, may be subject to fines. 

Other ways people can help bats in New York include:

• Planting a pollinator garden to increase prey availability for bats, who feed on insects;
• Putting up a bat box on their property to offer bats a summer roost safe from predators and human activity (see options for bat box designs and DIY instructions here); and

Contacting a bat certified Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator (NWCO) when looking to remove bats safely from their homes (find a list of NWCOs here).

United States Attorneys Available To Receive Election Complaints

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Breon Peace, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (“AUSAs”) will lead the efforts of their Offices in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.  AUSA David J. Kennedy has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (“DEO”) for the Southern District of New York, and AUSA Erik Paulsen has been appointed to serve as the DEO for the Eastern District of New York.  In their capacity as DEOs, these AUSAs are responsible for overseeing the Districts’ handling of Election Day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Free, fair, and accessible elections are critical to democracy, and every voter in the Southern District of New York deserves to cast their vote with confidence in the integrity of our electoral process.  It is the responsibility and privilege of this Office to work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure that New Yorkers are able to exercise their right to vote free of unlawful intimidation or hindrance.  We encourage anyone who finds their civic voting protections subject to any attempted undue interference to please contact the numbers below.” 

U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said: “A free election is the cornerstone of our democracy and every citizen in the Eastern District of New York must be able to vote and have their votes counted fairly and without interference, discrimination or threat of violence, Election officials and their staff also must be able to perform their duties without being subjected to unlawful threats of violence or intimidation. My Office will defend those rights with the full force of federal law.”

The Department of Justice plays an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud.  The Department will address these violations wherever they occur.  The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice.  The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).   

U.S. Attorneys Damian Williams and Breon Peace said: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy.  We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.  In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.”

In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 5, 2024, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, the U.S. Attorneys said that their Offices will be available to receive complaints at the following numbers through Tuesday, November 5, 2024:

(646) 369-4739 (for Manhattan, Bronx, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Westchester counties) and (718) 254-6790 (for Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau, and Suffolk counties).

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ 

In addition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day.  The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (212) 384-1000.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/

In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities.  State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

The U.S. Attorneys also noted that the following additional telephone numbers are available on Election Day for citizens to call for routine inquiries, such as where to vote or how late the polls are open, or to register complaints that may concern violations of New York State election laws:

IN NEW YORK CITY

New York City Board of Elections

Main Office                             (866) 868-3692

TTY #: 212-487-5496

IN COUNTIES OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY

County Boards of Elections

Dutchess                                  (845) 486-2473

Nassau                                     (516) 571-8683

Orange                                     (845) 360-6500

Orange (Spanish language)     (855) 331-2444

Putnam                                    (845) 808-1300

Rockland                                 (845) 638-5172

Suffolk                                    (631) 852-4500

Sullivan                                   (845) 807-0400

Westchester                             (914) 995-5700