SNAP4All New York Coalition's Response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s FY25-26 Budget

January 23, 2025—In response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s FY 25-26 Budget, the SNAP4All New York coalition issued the following statement: 

“While several initiatives in Governor Kathy Hochul’s FY 25-26 Budget included a focus on making New York healthier and more affordable, the SNAP4All New York Coalition is disheartened to see there was no mention of the creation of a food assistance benefit for immigrant New Yorkers. We are deeply disappointed that Governor Hochul did not include the New York State Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council’s (CPRAC) proposal to create a state-funded food benefit for households with children that are ineligible for SNAP due solely to their citizenship status. This critical recommendation was designed to address rising food insecurity among some of New York’s most vulnerable families and to advance CPRAC’s mission to cut child poverty in half by 2031—a goal the Governor herself set when establishing CPRAC through the Child Poverty Reduction Act.

The exclusion of this policy fails to acknowledge the disproportionately high rates of food insecurity faced by non-citizen households and the systemic barriers immigrant New Yorkers encounter when trying to access federal SNAP benefits. Despite contributing over $27 billion in state and local taxes, many immigrant New Yorkers remain unjustly excluded from SNAP. Families, neighbors, and hardworking members of our communities deserve access to food, regardless of their citizenship status.

As the Governor and legislative leaders chart a path forward for making New York more affordable, we strongly urge the inclusion of CPRAC’s set of recommendations, and that the FY 25-26 Budget include a state-funded food benefit for households with children that are ineligible for SNAP based on citizenship status.” 

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About: The SNAP4All New York coalition is a broad network of over 80 nonprofits, immigrant rights groups, and other anti-hunger advocates that have come together to call on the Governor to create a state-funded food benefit for income-eligible New Yorkers who are ineligible for SNAP based on citizenship status.

SNAP4All Coalition Applauds Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council's Recommendations

SNAP4All Coalition Applauds Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council Recommendations to Support a State Food Benefit for Households with Children that are Ineligible for SNAP Based on Citizenship Status

December 18, 2024 — The SNAP4All New York coalition, a broad network of over 80 organizations advocating for a state-funded food assistance benefit to income-eligible New Yorkers who are ineligible for SNAP due solely to their immigration status, celebrates the 2024 Recommendations and Progress Report issued by the New York State Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council (CPRAC). Among the Council’s housing, tax and public benefit proposals is a groundbreaking initiative to create a state food benefit for households with children that are ineligible for SNAP based on citizenship status—a critical step towards addressing food insecurity among some of New York’s most vulnerable families. CPRAC was established by Governor Hochul through the Child Poverty Reduction Act, which set an ambitious goal to cut child poverty in half by 2031. 

CPRAC’s recommendation recognizes the disproportionately high rate of food insecurity among non-citizen households and exposes the systemic barriers that immigrant New Yorkers face in accessing federal SNAP benefits. Despite contributing over $3 billion in state and local taxes, as well as $30 billion in taxes to federal public assistance programs, these families are unjustly excluded from the food and nutrition support they need.

The SNAP4All Coalition extends its gratitude to CPRAC for taking steps to ensure that New York families with children currently excluded from SNAP will be able to receive assistance with accessing food. We also recognize that CPRAC’s recommendations are a first step in a larger effort to ensure that all income-eligible New Yorkers, regardless of their immigration status, will have access to food assistance benefits. This includes people that are outright ineligible for SNAP, as well as those who are eligible only after arbitrary half-decade long waiting periods. Our families, neighbors, and fellow hard-working members of the job force deserve access to food and should not face barriers due solely to their citizenship status. 

We urge the Governor to demonstrate bold leadership by including this vital recommendation in her FY25-26 Executive Budget. Additionally, we urge policymakers to build upon CPRAC’s recommendations and ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, are able to access food assistance benefits. We must ensure that we are part of a New York that supports all of its residents. 

Equity Advocates Celebrates Over $531.4 Million in Food Systems Investments in FY25 NY City Budget

On Sunday, June 30, the New York City Council voted to approve the final Fiscal Year 2025 budget with a $112.4 billion investment. After months of tough negotiations and threats of concerning cuts, we appreciate all the work that the City Council, our community partners and fellow advocates put in to keep pressure on the need for the budget to prioritize a strong local food system. 

Throughout this budget season, Equity Advocates and the NYC Food Policy Alliance uplifted the urgent need to reverse harmful cuts and ensure everyone in our city will be able to put food on their tables. While the final budget was saved from the most concerning threats, it is frustrating to note few additional investments in strengthening our local food systems. We hope that in future budget cycles we do not need to play the same negotiating dance with critical funds.

We were pleased to see the FY25 Adopted Budget restore funding for frontline emergency food providers, community gardeners and composters. Persistent advocacy resulted in the restoration of:

• $31.9 million restored for Community Food Connections so that emergency food providers can provide access to healthy, fresh, and culturally and religiously appropriate food.  

• $2.6 million restored for GreenThumb to provide essential resources for community gardeners.  

• $6.2 million restored for community composting to reduce waste, create local jobs, and move toward the City’s Zero Waste goals.  

Other crucial food systems investments in this budget include:  

• $150 million in capital funding to fully scale cafeteria redesign to reach ALL NYC middle and high students.

• An additional $1 per meal for the Home Delivered Meals for Older Adults program, bringing the new per meal rate up to $13.78/meal.

• $289.4 million (including $11M for metro cards) for the Summer Youth Employment Program

• Maintain Council anti-hunger initiatives at a total of $9.943 million, including the Food Access and Benefits Initiative ($1.5 million), Access to Healthy Food and Nutritional Education Initiative ($2.175 million), and adding $1M to the Food Pantries Initiative ($8.26M). 

• Maintain Community Land Trust Initiative ($1.5 million) and Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative ($3.768 million).

In total, the final budget deal contained over $531.4 million for programs in the budget that Equity Advocates advocated for in partnership with the NYC Food Policy Alliance. These moderate successes and our advocacy would not be possible without the leadership and collaboration of our community partners within the NYC Food Policy Alliance. We look forward to continuing to work with the City Council and Mayor’s Office to ensure that these investments in the food system and human services nonprofits are successfully implemented and administered with the input of experts within the food nonprofit community. 

*We will continue to analyze the budget documents and update this analysis as we learn more details.

Farm Bill Analysis: House and Senate Committee on Agriculture Draft Proposals

We finally have some action on the Farm Bill! 

As a refresher, the Farm Bill is federal legislation that shapes virtually every aspect of the U.S. food and agricultural system—what kind of food farmers grow, how much it costs, who has access to land and resources to farm, and who benefits.

The Farm Bill is usually renewed every five years and was up for reauthorization in September 2023. However, when lawmakers disagreed over funding they instead extended the 2018 Farm Bill and is now set to expire in September 2024. 

In May, the House & Senate Agriculture committees released two competing visions for the next Farm Bill. 

House Committee on Agriculture Draft:

The House Agriculture Committee held markup and then after 12+ hours, voted the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (HR 8467) out of committee on May 23 (i.e. when the committee meets to either accept, rewrite or veto the draft farm bill and vote on whether to move the bill out of committee to the floor of the chamber for a vote.). The legislative text raises significant concerns as it proposes that future Thrifty Food Plan benefit adjustments, the basis for SNAP benefit levels, be cost-neutral and removes protections on the usage of new climate funding for agriculture from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) currently tagged to incentivize climate-smart farm practices and more. For these reasons, and more, we oppose the House Agriculture Farm Bill proposal and would urge our Representatives to vote “No” on the bill when it goes to a floor vote. However, it is unlikely that there will be a floor vote in the House any time soon, as there isn’t enough support for the bill..

Senate Committee on Agriculture Draft:

Meanwhile, the Senate Agriculture Committee released a detailed section-by-section description of its farm bill proposal. Equity Advocates is pleased the proposal aligns with many of our priorities for the Farm Bill identified in partnership with Black Farmers United NYS and Food for the Spirit. It protects future Thrifty Food Plan adjustments, proposes to increase SNAP access for former foster youth, higher education students, repeal the lifetime ban on individuals with felony drug convictions from receiving SNAP; study the impact of allowing hot foods to be purchased with SNAP benefits; authorize a 10-year path for Puerto Rico to transition to SNAP after over 40 years of exclusion. The Senate proposal also enhances funding for food banks, the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, and urban agriculture investments to bolster food security, community resilience, and environmental sustainability. We may see some movement in the Senate in June, when ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee (SAC) Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) is expected to release his “framework” for the Senate farm bill debate in June.

Key Differences and Legislative Focus:

• Land Stewardship and Farmer Training: The Senate proposal alone includes supports for farmers addressing climate change; increase and provide annual mandatory funding for the office of urban agriculture; more sub-grant funding opportunities for urban agriculture; better access to USDA farm programs at the local level; invests in community partnerships that have experience serving urban and underserved producers. Both House and Senate proposals would make the Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction pilot program permanent.

• Invest in Community Food Infrastructure: The House included provisions to simplify the application process for the Local Agriculture Marketing Program (LAMP) and modest funding increases to local food access initiatives such as the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and the Community Food Projects Program. The Senate proposes significant investments across the board such as to increase discretionary funding for LAMP and new provisions that make regional food hubs eligible for the program; and removing matching requirements across several programs. Both propose increases to the Community Food Projects, with the Senate version calling to double the funding from $5M to $10M. 

• Improve Accessibility of USDA Programs: The Senate outlines improvements to USDA operations to streamline services and enhance access for under-resourced organizations and farmers by removing match requirements for Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Grants and Value-Added Producer Grants. These critical efforts are less emphasized in the House draft.

• Increase Access to Food Assistance: The Senate bill aims to expand access to and protect future Thrifty Food Plan adjustments for the SNAP program, while the House draft would cut billions from SNAP with its mandate that future adjustments be cost-neutral. The House apparently using savings from the proposed SNAP cuts to increase funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program and other commodity distribution programs. House and Senate proposals both expand access to SNAP for individuals with felony drug convictions and call for the USDA to study the impact of allowing hot foods to be purchased with SNAP benefits. Both also call for increased funding for the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program. 

These differing visions underscore a broader debate on how best to support agricultural initiatives and nutrition programs, reflecting the divergent priorities of the Republican-led House and the Democrat-led Senate. As negotiations proceed, these proposals will play a crucial role in shaping the final legislation of the Farm Bill.

Take Action:

Call your House Representative and urge them to oppose Chairman Thompson’s Farm Bill. We’ve created an easy to use call script to make your voice heard effectively - taking 3 minutes to voice your opinion and share personal stories and data-driven arguments can make a real difference!

Visit our Farm Bill campaign website to read about the ways we are working to ensure the new Farm Bill actively promotes food sovereignty, racial justice, and equity and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date on how and WHEN you can take action!

Train the Trainer

2024 Youth Advocacy Training

In 2022 Equity Advocates launched a Youth Food Justice Organizers initiative to increase the capacity of youth food justice leaders to engage in youth-led advocacy and build collective power. With support from Levitt Foundation, we've partnered with East New York Farms, Green Guerillas, Riseboro, Youth Food Justice Network (YFJN) , Teens For Food Justice (TFFJ), and The Campaign Against Hunger (TCAH) to recruit a cohort of young New Yorkers, aged 14 to 22, who deepened their food policy knowledge and advocacy skills to advance food justice in communities across NYC. 

In April 2024, Equity Advocates took the next step to scale our impact through a train-the-trainer model. We led a 2-day workshop series with 18 youth food justice leaders and hosted 3 policy workshops on:

1. Government 101

2. Bills Assessment & Crafting a Policy Ask

3. How to Write & Provide a Public Testimony

This year, we had one of our 2023 Train the Trainer participants , Jabari Pothemont, one of Green Guerillas Youth Empowerment Pipeline interns, lead the Public Testimony workshop. The goal of our Train the Trainer advocacy training is to provide youth leaders with the advocacy knowledge, practical tools and materials as well as confidence to teach back to their fellow peers. With this  experience  youth leaders have an opportunity to meet like minded food justice advocates from across NYC, the confidence to pursue careers in the political field.

Special thanks to the Levitt Foundation for their continuous support for EA’s youth organizing initiative. We are proud to announce we've received another grant to continue this work and expand our reach to educate more youth across NYC!

The NY Food Policy Alliance’s Statement on the NYC Council FY25 Preliminary Budget Response

The NY Food Policy Alliance’s Statement on the NYC Council FY25 Preliminary Budget Response

The NY Food Policy Alliance, which represents 60+ food system nonprofit and community leaders across the city, extends its gratitude to the Speaker and the City Council for articulating a vision for a FY25 budget that ensures all New York City families have access to healthy, affordable food. At a time when 50% of working age New Yorkers are struggling to cover their basic needs, the Council’s focus on making food more healthy, affordable and accessible for working and middle-class families is crucial. 

We commend the alignment of the Council's Response with our policy priorities, particularly the investment of $59 million to enhance the Community Food Connections program. We fully support the restoration and baselining of funding for school meals at $60 million and the $7.1 million commitment to community composting programs and GreenThumb, as well as the expansion of funding for NYCBenefits, which connects New Yorkers to underutilized government benefits.

As budget negotiations proceed, we see an opportunity to further refine these proposals. Specifically, we assert that the $17 million allocated for staffing should be recognized distinctly from restored funds, bringing the total proposed funding to $77 million. Additionally, we stress the importance of food and nutrition education in NYC schools to foster healthy dietary habits and introduce students to diverse foods.

The Council’s response, which includes $236 million to expand the Summer Youth Employment Program, is commendable; however, existing barriers at urban agriculture sites limit meaningful youth engagement. We propose the establishment of an urban agriculture youth employment pilot program tailored to the needs of urban agriculture organizations, ensuring they are compensated for hosting and providing impactful experiences for youth. It is equally vital to sustain and critically assess the Groceries to Go Program to verify its effectiveness for New Yorkers facing food insecurity and diet-related illnesses.

Our Alliance calls on the Administration and City Council to enact a FY25 Budget and invests in access to healthy, affordable food, strengthens urban agriculture and supports the next generation of farmers, and fosters long-term resilience and economic opportunity in the City's food system. 

Reflecting on a Day of Action to Influence the FY25 City Budget

On the 19th of March, the NYC Food Policy Alliance gathered in front of City Hall for a Day of Action to protect and strengthen food funding and programs in the FY25 Budget. This was not just an event; it was a vibrant gathering of diverse voices calling for critical investments in food security, urban agriculture and community gardens, community composting, nutritious school meals and more. 

Council Member Crystal Hudson (D-35) and the NYC Food Policy Alliance members.

We met with over a dozen City Council Members as they entered City Hall for a stated meeting, sharing our collective priorities for the City’s FY25 budget. Our collective voice, amplified by slogans like "Feed the Future" and "Fund NYC Community Compost," highlighted our dedication to food security, sustainable agriculture, and the welfare of our communities. We stood, signs in hand, advocating for critical funding boosts, including a $60 million necessity for Community Food Connections and supporting urban agriculture initiatives.United under the cause to influence the FY25 Budget towards vital food programs, our demonstration was a display of purpose and passion.

Member Organizations in attendance: Edible Schoolyard NYC, Equity Advocates, City Harvest, Food bank for NYC, United Way NY, UJA, United Neighborhood Houses, Lower East Side Ecology Center, Corbin Hill Food Project, Plant Powered Metro New York, Farm School NYC, Citizens Committee for Children of NY.

The turnout was remarkable, with nearly 20 Alliance members all unified for a greener tomorrow. Representatives ranged from Edible Schoolyard NYC to the Citizens Committee for Children. Keith Carr, Senior Policy & Government Relations Manager at City Harvest, led a soul-stirring chant that inspired passersby and council members alike. A significant moment occurred when an alliance member, guided by Iyeshima Harris-Ouedraogo, the Policy Manager at Equity Advocates, successfully connected with Council member Salaam. This encounter marked a new and rewarding experience for the Alliance member, achieving her first in-person meeting with a council member and leaving her feeling accomplished.

The event marked a pivotal moment where passionate advocacy sparked tangible initiatives, enabling effective networking to open doors for meaningful change, and uniting the community to champion the vital cause of nourishing New York City through thoughtful food policy. This event was not the culmination but a powerful continuation of our relentless drive to shape a food system that reflects the diversity and needs of New Yorkers. This is just the beginning, and we're fueled for the road ahead.

Don’t Scrap Food #NYcFoodPolicyAlliance

Always remember:

One love, one heart, let’s feed the future and be alright

One love, one heart, let’s feed the future and don’t scrap food!

Response to Governor Hochul’s 2024 State of the State Address

Response to Governor Hochul’s 2024 State of the State Address

“In her State of the State address, Governor Hochul rightly acknowledged that New York is deeply unaffordable for millions of families. The Governor's proposed solutions, including addressing housing costs, investing in childcare, strengthening the agricultural industry, and prioritizing maternal and mental health treatments, are commendable steps toward enhancing affordability.

However, the urgent need to address rising food insecurity is critically missing. We know that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a vital support for New Yorkers struggling to afford food. In addition to reducing poverty and improving nutrition security for vulnerable families, SNAP is a proven tool for supporting jobs and grocers while stimulating local economies. And yet it is simply not feasible for low-income New Yorkers to afford groceries with just $23 per month. A bipartisan group of 56 New York legislators asked Gov. Kathy Hochul to increase the minimum benefit of SNAP to $100 across the state. Investing in an increase of the minimum SNAP benefit is one of the most significant steps our state can take to address rising food insecurity and make it more affordable for families to have consistent access to healthy food. 

With food insecurity on the rise, the NY Food Policy Alliance—along with nearly 70% of New Yorkers—strongly urges the Governor and legislative leaders to support a minimum SNAP benefit of $100 per month in the FY2025 state budget.” 

Celebrating Our Achievements in Advancing Food Equity in 2023

With the unwavering support of our community partners and supporters, Equity Advocates achieved incredible milestones and made great strides in advancing food equity in New York in 2023.

Creating Policy Change

One of our most significant achievements in 2023 was our work in convening and mobilizing food system stakeholders through the NY Food Policy Alliance. We grew and deepened our relationship within the Alliance and mobilized members to create and participate in City and State FY24 Budget campaigns. We also expanded our co-leadership model with more committee chairs and were thrilled to witness more members stepping up to lead advocacy efforts on behalf of the Alliance. 

Our collective advocacy efforts yielded $136 million in food system investments through the New York City Budget and a remarkable $260 million in the New York State Budget, most notably securing $134.6 million for the expansion of an existing federal provision – the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)–that  allows high-poverty schools to provide free meals to all students.

Our collaboration with NY Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas’ office resulted in the introduction of two important bills: A05933, to establish a state task force to study the development of a nutrition program for undocumented New Yorkers, and A06214/S7663, to establish a state SNAP minimum benefit program.

Additionally, we launched a 2023 New York Farm Bill campaign in partnership with Black Farmers United of New York State and Food for the Spirit that intentionally prioritizes participation of BIPOC farmers & practitioners. After hearing from over 300 New Yorkers, we developed a collective Farm Bill policy platform and built advocacy and social media toolkits to mobilize our networks throughout Summer and Fall. Through our postcard writing campaign, we engaged community members at local events and educational workshops, sending over 200 postcards to Congress to advocate for our Farm Bill  policy priorities.

Capacity Building & Community Organizing

In 2023, we held over 35 hours of advocacy training workshops, engaging 300 community partners. These workshops covered essential topics such as using advocacy to build an equitable and sustainable food system, navigating and analyzing city budget, building relationships with key elected officials, developing effective testimony, lobbying 101 and more. We also co-hosted advocacy workshops with Green Guerillas' Council of Gardeners, an inclusive, cross-borough group of community gardeners, and Farm School NYC, a BIPOC-led nonprofit working to train NYC residents in urban agriculture. Co-hosting these workshops advanced our mission to equip community gardeners, growers and land stewards with the knowledge and skills needed to make their voices heard at the local and national levels. 

Perhaps our most inspiring training was a 2-day workshop series for 15 youth food justice leaders from the Youth Food Justice Network, East New York Farms!, Teens For Food Justice, and Green Guerillas. This initiative prepared a group of BIPOC youth leaders, aged 14 to 20, to lead policy workshops, empowering them to advocate for change within their communities.

Emerging as a Thought Leader

Equity Advocates has emerged as a formidable thought leader shaping the landscape of New York City's food system. This past year, our Co-Founder and Executive Director, Leah Eden, joined the United Way of New York City's True Cost of Living Report Policy Committee. Leah played a crucial role in shaping policies aimed at addressing issues related to the cost of living and food affordability. Leah was also invited by The New Majority, a grassroots organization devoted to building political power for all women in NYC, to moderate a fireside chat with Qiana Mickie, Director of the Mayor's Office of Urban Agriculture, focused on how the city can further strengthen its efforts to support farmers of color and improve healthy food access. 

Our Policy Manager, Iyeshima Harris-Ouedraogo, is set to speak about strengthening local food systems at New York Health Foundation’s “Transforming Food Systems: From Pilots to Policy” conference, the Faith in Action for Food Justice conference and participated in a career panel related to food justice, health and equity, organized by the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute, highlighting our commitment to nurturing the next generation of food justice advocates. As thought leaders and food policy experts, Equity Advocates’ small but mighty team makes an outsized impact, driving positive change in the city's food system and beyond.

Growing Our Team and Professional Development

We expanded our team by welcoming a Policy Manager, Iyeshima Harris-Ouedraogo, to implement policy goals and campaign strategies, and lead government relations. Recently Leslie Gomez Rivera, a rising sophomore at Hunter College with a background in food advocacy and organizing, joined our team as an intern through the CUNY Food Justice Leadership Fellowship. Additionally, Adam Liebowitz, Director of the Community Food Funders Director, joined our Board of Directors, bringing deep expertise in the nonprofit sector and extensive experience in community outreach and development, urban farming, program design and management, youth development, and environmental justice. 

Our team also invested in professional development, participating in Advocacy Institute training sessions and the Community Resource Exchange's Leadership Caucus program, showcasing our dedication to continuous improvement and growth.

Equity Advocates has demonstrated unwavering dedication to improving food equity in New York, tirelessly working to ensure that everyone has access to healthy, nutritious food. As we celebrate these incredible achievements, we look forward to what the future holds. We’re so glad that you’re with us in helping build a powerful, organized movement of grassroots food leaders!  

Celebrating a Productive Alliance Visioning Retreat

Member Organizations in attendance: United Neighborhood Houses, Corbin Hill Food Project, East New York Farms!, United Way of New York City, Youth Food Justice Network, Farm School NYC, WE Act for Environmental Justice, Tisch Food Center, MET Council, The Urban Outreach Center of NYC, and CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute.

On September 15, we welcomed members of the NY Food Policy Alliance to gather in-person at the delightful Riley-Levin Children's Garden. Our alliance members’ presence added immense value to the gathering, making it a truly enriching and productive experience. We extend our gratitude for your unwavering dedication to the cause of food justice and sustainability in the vibrant city of New York.

During the meeting, as an alliance, we had the opportunity to reflect on our past accomplishments, establish new objectives, and lay the foundation for our forthcoming endeavors. Your valuable insights and contributions played a pivotal role in shaping the discussions and charting the direction we intend to pursue in the months ahead.

We asked you: “What power does the NY Food Policy Alliance hold to create positive change in food policy?”
“Power in numbers”
“The ability to influence those in positions of power”
“Empowering BIPOC leadership and recognizing the significance of youth advocacy”
“Personal and professional growth”
“Encouraging diverse voices and supporting direct service”
“Emphasizing grassroots outreach for ground-up change”

We asked you: “What are our collective accomplishments and what have you gained from being part of the Alliance?”

“Creating inclusive spaces for diverse voices in policy discussions”
“Fostering cross-functional knowledge exchange”
“Broadening our view of food policy to a macro perspective”
“Building new relationships, including political connections”
“Farm Bill advocacy that emphasizes equity”
“Improved understanding of budget process, providing testimony and the food life cycle”

We deeply value your commitment to our alliance and your eagerness to collaborate for a more equitable and sustainable food system within our city. Your support is paramount, and it is our firm belief that, working together, we can create a significant and lasting impact.

We are always here to listen, engage, and work collectively towards a future where food justice thrives. Once again, thank you for being an integral part of our alliance. Your presence and passion drive us closer to a New York City where access to nutritious and sustainable food is a reality for all.

Give Today to End Hunger and Support Food Equity

This is an urgent moment for the food equity movement. Congress will soon reauthorize the 2023 Farm Bill, an important package of federal legislation which shapes virtually every aspect of the U.S. food and agricultural system—what kind of food farmers grow, how much it costs, who has access to land and resources to farm, and who benefits. 

This September, Equity Advocates has a goal of raising $8,000 to support our campaign advocating for an equitable Farm Bill.

Even better, your gift now will be matched by a generous donor.  All new donations to the campaign through the end of the month will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $3,000! If you’ve been meaning to contribute now is the time to help us get there. Your gift, in any amount, will make a tremendous difference.

Your donation will support our community-driven advocacy campaign (co-led with Black Farmers United NYS and Food for the Spirit) which calls on Congress to promote sustainable regional food systems, advance racial equity, address food insecurity and more!

September is also Hunger Action Month, a time for everyone to stand up against hunger in New York City, State and communities around the country. No one should ever go hungry and the Farm Bill is a key piece of solving this problem.

What is the Farm Bill? Why does it matter?

The Farm Bill, a package of federal legislation, has a huge impact on our land, our food, our health, and our climate. If you care about making fresh, local, healthy food available for all; farmers markets; climate change; food co-ops; farmers and land access; composting; community and school gardens, or nutrition education (and more!) then you care about the Farm Bill.

Fast Farm Bill Facts:

• The Farm Bill funds SNAP (formerly known as food stamps), our nation’s largest nutrition program which is proven to lift millions of people out of poverty and boosts local economies. SNAP is 76% of Farm Bill funding, providing over 40 million low-income individuals with funds to buy food across the country.

• Programs funded by the Farm Bill also strengthen regional food supply chains and food economies, invest in new and BIPOC farmers, support existing and emerging models of urban agriculture, and more.

• The Farm Bill is only renewed by Congress every five years, so this opportunity won’t happen again until 2028!

The Farm Bill has historically upheld structural inequities and as a result farmers of color are underrepresented in federal investments in farmers and experience greater land loss. For example, 98% of US farmland is owned by White people and Black farmers make $1 for every $5 a White farmer makes in New York State. 

The 2023 Farm Bill is an opportunity to reshape our food system and address the historic and ongoing effects of structural racism. 

Equity must be at the core of the new Farm Bill and that is exactly what Equity Advocates is fighting for. 

Will you join us?

Your gift today will make an incredible difference—funding today’s 2023 Farm Bill Campaign, while also ensuring a more equitable future for years to come. 

What we’re Doing to Make the Farm Bill More Equitable?

Above, we shared exactly why the Farm Bill is so crucial. (Hint: it’s not just about farms, but touches on everything from school gardens, food prices, farmers markets and much more.) Unfortunately the Farm Bill has also traditionally upheld historical inequities. How can we change that?

We believe that the communities most impacted are the voices that should be lifted up to Congress. That is why Equity Advocates partnered with Black Farmers United NYS and Food for the Spirit, collaborating to host a series of New York State listening sessions that prioritized hearing from BIPOC farmers, growers, producers, practitioners, and advocates. 

Over 300 New Yorkers shared how the 2023 Farm Bill can better support access to land, climate and food justice, nutrition assistance, and regional food systems. The resulting policy recommendations represent a collective voice from community food leaders, farmers, gardeners, land stewards, producers, and advocates.

Equity Advocates then worked to educate and mobilize communities across New York State to advocate for a Farm Bill that promotes sustainable regional food systems, advances racial equity, helps address food insecurity and more!

We are engaging the public now around 2023 Farm Bill advocacy opportunities, including engaging key Congressional and local leaders and launching a “postcard writing” campaign to showcase our policy positions. To build public awareness, we hosted several Farm Bill 101 trainings and are taking our campaign on the road at community events across NYC. 

The Difference YOUR Support Makes

At Equity Advocates, we are dedicated to championing meaningful shifts in food and farming practices and policies, and by contributing to our fundraising campaign, you will play an essential role in advancing our mission. Your support will directly impact our 2023 Farm Bill campaign in several ways:

1. Knowledge Sharing: Our passionate team will invest critical staff time to host Farm Bill 101 workshops and monthly “Y'all Come” organizing meetings, conduct comprehensive analyses of legislation, and create community-facing campaign materials. Your donation enables us to foster collaboration and partnership across the state and build an educated network of food advocates.

2. Catalyzing Grassroots Action: We will create and launch targeted grassroots actions like letter-writing and calls to elected officials, social media storytelling and more to amplify our policy priorities. With your generosity, we will mobilize community food leaders, farmers, land stewards, producers, and eaters across New York to call on Congress for a 2023 Farm Bill that promotes sustainable regional food systems, advances racial equity and helps address food insecurity. 

3. Engaging Political Leaders: With your backing, we will engage with key Congressional and local leaders, sharing our expertise to inform policy decisions. Your support facilitates ongoing education and advocacy to ensure elected officials hear from grassroots voices across NYS.

Why Policy Change Matters

At Equity Advocates, we're dedicated to more than just alleviating hunger – we're committed to dismantling its systemic roots.

While immediate food assistance is crucial, addressing underlying issues is equally vital. When we shape policies in the Farm Bill influencing food production, distribution, and access, we create meaningful, long-term transformation. To most effectively champion policies promoting equitable food systems, we are committed to developing meaningful collaborations with partners and communities across New York State.

This collaborative, transformational work takes time, relationship building, and organizing that wouldn’t be possible without your support. 

July 18th : Y'all Come Meeting Guest Speaker

Jose Oliva

With a long history in labor organizing, Jose has served in several leadership positions at Casa Guatemala, Chicago Interfaith Workers’ Center, Interfaith Worker Justice’s National Workers' Centers Network, Center for Community Change, and the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United - the national organization of restaurant workers. Jose was the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Food Chain Workers Alliance a national coalition of food-worker organizations that collectively represents over 350,000 workers. Jose is also a 2017 James Beard Award recipient and a 2018 American Food Hero Awardee. 

You can learn more about HEAL Food Alliance.

Equity Advocates: 2022 in Review

With your support we made great strides in advancing food equity in New York in 2022 including:

CAPACITY BUILDING 

• Hosting 8 advocacy training workshops for 860 community partners 

• Strengthening the advocacy capacity of our partners who report the following as a result of our work:  

• 87% have a better understanding of policy making process & who makes food policy decisions in NYC

• 78% Learned new policy skills 

• 83% Feel more confident in ability to engage in advocacy 

• 70% have developed/strengthened relationships with policymakers

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING 

• Expanding our team with a new Community Organizer to lead the NY Food Policy Alliance, investing more heavily in our movement building.   

• Growing the NY Food Policy Alliance to 88 food system organizations. Thanks to our Community Organizer’s outreach efforts we welcomed 22 new members to the Alliance, including more statewide representation. 

• Developing NY Food Policy Alliance Community Agreements, holding elections for Committee Chair leadership positions for our Policy, Outreach and Food Policy Council committees, and hosting our first ever in person Alliance meeting!

• Running a Youth Organizer program in partnership with Teens for Food Justice to give youth, aged 14 to 22, a powerful voice in shaping food policy. The youth cohort met over 8 months to learn about food policy and advocacy and then used their new advocacy skills to conduct independent policy research projects, develop and submit testimony and meet with the Sanitation Committee Chair to advocate for restored funding for composting and host a youth-led Listening Session with 40+ peer youth food justice leaders about priorities for the new Mayor's Office of Urban Agriculture.

CREATING POLICY CHANGE 

• Securing $308 million in food system and human service investments through the New York City Budget and $410 million in the New York State Budget

• Hosting a virtual food policy legislative briefing in partnership with Speaker Adrienne Adam’s Office to educate City Council members about significant challenges in the NYC food system as well as opportunities to advance food security and justice to the staff from twenty three City Council Member offices that attended.

• Launching a campaign in partnership with Black Farmers United NYS and Food for the Spirit, to advocate for a 2023 Farm Bill that will prioritize strong sustainable regional food systems, advance racial equity and help address food insecurity across our communities. 

• We co-hosted a series of Farm Bill listening sessions where 158 food systems practitioners, farmers and producers and community based organizations across New York State shared their stories, experiences and priorities for how the 2023 Farm Bill can better support land access and urban agriculture, climate change, community food project funding, nutrition, local and regional food systems, and more. For the next few months we’ll be engaged in additional outreach and developing a 2023 Farm Bill NYS policy platform. 

• Worked with Hunger Solutions NY and Community Food Advocates as a strategic partner on their Healthy School Meals for All Campaign to ensure school meals are free for all kids across New York state

We’re so glad that you’re with us in helping build a powerful, organized movement of grassroots food leaders.

Join our 2023 NYS Farm Bill Campaign!

A new Farm Bill is on the horizon. Now is the time to let your voice be heard and join Equity Advocates, Black Farmers United NYS and Food for the Spirit in our campaign to advocate for a Farm Bill that can prioritize strong sustainable regional food systems, advance racial equity and help address food insecurity across our communities. Join us to help create a NYS Farm Bill policy platform in partnership with food systems practitioners, farmers and producers and community based organizations across New York State. 

What is the Farm Bill?

The Farm Bill is a federal law renewed every five years that governs our farm and food policy. ​The most recent Farm Bill, the Agricultural Act of 2018, expires September 2023. This is an opportunity to reshape our food system and build upon the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has continued to highlight the importance of our local and regional food systems and supply chains as NYS recovers from the ongoing health and economic impact of the pandemic.

About the NYS Farm Bill Advocacy Campaign

In Fall 2022, Equity Advocates, Black Farmers United NYS and Food for the Spirit co-hosted a series of Farm Bill listening sessions designed to hear from food systems practitioners, farmers and producers and community based organizations across New York State. We prioritized outreach to and participation of BIPOC farmers, producers, practitioners AND folks that have direct experience with Farm Bill programs. During each session, we reviewed a brief history of the Farm Bill, the legislative process, and opportunities for practitioners to inform the direction of the 2023 Farm Bill. We also provided background on a selection of Farm Bill programs that are particularly relevant for including: Urban Agriculture Grants, Community Food Projects, Farm to School, Beginning Farmer & Rancher Development Program, 2501 Program, Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program, Regional Food Systems Partnership, Nutrition Incentives, Commodity Supplemental Food Program, SNAP, and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Then we facilitated conversations with participants to hear directly about their experiences with these UDSA programs and what needs they had. In total, 158 people from across New York State joined these sessions to share their stories, experiences and priorities for how the 2023 Farm Bill can better support land access and urban agriculture, climate change, community food project funding, nutrition, local and regional food systems, and more. 

You can access the slides here and please see recordings for each of the listening sessions below: 

• August 25: Urban Agriculture and Food Justice (Passcode: n&Nd5Kg$) 

• September 7: Local and Regional Food Systems (Passcode: 5j!&66?m)

• September 15: Benefits & Emergency Feeding (Passcode: 0&+!2*GL)

Next Steps

Throughout our farm bill listening sessions we prioritized hearing from BIPOC farmers, producers, practitioners in NYS as well as individuals that have direct experience with farm bill programs.

We heard from over 200 New Yorkers about your priorities for the next Farm bill and incorporated all of your great feedback and suggestions into a draft Farm Bill Policy Platform—a document that outlines what changes and improvements we collectively want to see in the 2023 Farm Bill. Your role thus far in developing our platform has been extremely vital and deeply appreciated. We hope you will continue to participate by reviewing the draft platform and providing your feedback. Here are two ways to do this: 

1. Attend a virtual presentation of the Farm Bill Draft Policy Platform to hear a detailed overview of the policy priorities, including breakout sessions to hear your feedback. 

• Register here: January 18th, 9:00am-11:00am  

• Register here: January 24th, 5:30pm-7:30pm 

1. Review the Draft Farm Bill Policy Platform document on your own and make comments on the document or via email. The deadline to provide feedback directly in the document is Wednesday, January 25, 2023.

Thanks in advance for being part of this campaign, led in partnership between Equity Advocates and Black Farmers United NYS.  

To learn more about the campaign and get involved, reach out to Leah Eden, Equity Advocates’ Executive Director, at leah@nyequityadvocates.org. 

In complicated NYC Budget, a silver lining of over $308M in human service and food systems investments

On Friday June 10th, Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams shook hands to announce a deal on the City’s fiscal year 2023 Budget. Coming in at a historic $101 billion, the budget is about $2.3 Billion dollars more than the previous year. Despite this historic level of investment in City programs, many advocates were disappointed to see low investments in affordable housing and homeless services along with cuts to school budgets totaling $215 million while the NYPD received a $140M increase to their already enormous $10 Billion budget. It is still to be determined whether or not these cuts will impact nutrition education or school garden programs at individual schools. In response, six progressive members of the City Council voted against the budget.

Food Systems Initiatives Funded in the New York City FY23 Adopted Budget 

While those cuts to education, housing and homeless services are a disappointment to many New Yorkers, one silver lining in the budget is the inclusion of significant investments in human services and food systems initiatives. In total, the final budget deal contained $306 Million for programs in the budget that Equity Advocates advocated for in partnership with the NYC Food Policy Alliance, including: 

• $79.4 million baselined to expand the Summer Youth Employment Program to 100K slots

• $60 million to increase salaries for human service workers

• $30 million increase for the DSS Community Food Connections, formerly known as Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP), and a change in the program to now include fresh produce for emergency food providers. Total program budget is now $52 million. 

• $50 million in capital funds for the student friendly cafeteria redesign and enhancement prioritized by our friends at Community Food Advocates at another 100 middle and high school cafeterias in high needs neighborhoods identified by the City’s Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity. 

• $19.7 million to double the slots for the Work Learn Grow program to 4,400 jobs

• $15 Million for home delivered meals for seniors, including $6.2m for the case management to help transition away from COVID Recovery Meals.

• $14M was added to Human Resource Administration’s FY23 budget for a new project to increase benefits enrollment, including media and contracting with CBOs for outreach and education.

• $10 Million for the new Grocery to Go program administered by the Department of Health in partnership with Mercado which provides a monthly stipend to individuals for groceries that were receiving food through the COVID-19 Get Food Program, are 59 and below, and still need food assistance 

• $3.5 million for Organics Drop-Off Sites and $9.2 million to enhance the School Organic Waste Collection Program

• $2.6 million to support Green Thumb Gardens

• $1.5 Million for Community Land Trusts at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development

• $1 Million for expansion of and additional staff for the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, including $500,000 for Good Food Purchasing Program contracts. 

• $250,000 in renewed funding for the Food Ed Hub 

Looking ahead, we are eager to work with the Adams Administration to ensure that the investments announced in this budget are successfully implemented and administered with the input of experts within the food nonprofit community. We also look forward to working with leadership at the City level to see that discretionary funding is directed towards communities of color that have been hit the hardest by the economic, hunger and health crises exacerbated by COVID-19.

NYC Food Policy Alliance Hosts NYC Council Legislative Briefing with Speaker Adams

While the public health crisis created by COVID-19 seems to be winding down, New Yorkers  continue to face economic and hunger crises. Unemployment rates in the city are still twice the national average and child hunger and food insecurity remains 55% higher than pre-pandemic levels according to a new report from City Harvest.

The NYC Food Policy Alliance (formerly the NY COVID-19 Food Coalition) is a multi-sector alliance of 40+ food system stakeholders that came together in March of 2020 to meet an immediate need for collaboration and advocacy during the peak of New York’s public health and economic crisis. The Alliance’s mission is to identify and advocate for public policies and funding that promote access to healthy and affordable food to both respond to today’s crisis as well as address the ongoing vulnerabilities and injustices of the food system. Based on our collective food systems experience and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on our communities, the Alliance was a critical voice in informing the development of Food Forward NYC, the City’s first ever ten year food policy plan. 

To educate City Council members and their staff about significant challenges in the NYC food system and ideas for community driven solutions, the NYC Food Policy Alliance in partnership with Speaker Adrienne Adam’s Office hosted a virtual food policy legislative briefing on Tuesday May 10, 2022. As food policy experts, Alliance members provided an overview of the landscape of food equity and policy in New York City and discussed public funding and legislative opportunities to advance food security and justice, including those presented by Food Forward NYC. 

We were incredibly grateful to be welcomed by Speaker Adams and presenters included representatives from City Harvest, Citizens Committee for Children, CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute, Edible Schoolyard NYC, Equity Advocates, Farm School NYC, Food Bank for New York City, ReThink Food, United Way of New York City, and UJA Federation. We are deeply appreciative to the staff from twenty three City Council members’ offices that attended for their commitment to learning more about food policy in New York City and the Alliance. 

During Speaker Adams’ opening remarks, she expressed deep concern for the rising rates of hunger in New York during the pandemic and expressed her commitment to addressing these issues, saying, “As a Council, we are focused on the policies that will provide not just short term relief, but long term solutions to this crisis. This is a priority for me as Speaker.”

We deeply appreciate Speaker Adams’ commitment to addressing food insecurity and injustice in New York City through the FY23 City Budget and look forward to partnering with her office and the entire Council to advance food equity this year. 

Equity Advocates Celebrates $410 Million Food System Investments in the NY State FY Year 2023 Adopted Budget

On Saturday April 9th, Governor Hochul signed into law New York’s $220 Billion annual budget for FY23. Disagreements over the last minute additions of $600 Million for a new Buffalo Bills stadium (which is owned by billionaireTerry Pegula), rollbacks on bail reform, and decisions not to include funding for home health care workers or Universal Child Care pushed the budget past its April 1 deadline and led some left leaning Democrats to vote against the bill. However, many in New York City are celebrating some progressive policy wins in the budget, including language to approve ​Mayor Eric Adam’s first expansion of the city’s Earned Income Tax Credit ​that will result in an additional city investment of $250 million ​on an annual basis to help lift low and middle income families out of poverty. 

Food Systems Initiatives Funded in the New York State FY23 Adopted Budget 

We also were incredibly pleased to see that over $410 Million was invested in initiatives that will help address the ongoing hunger crisis, advance food justice and improve healthy food access across the state. Included in the final budget were the following priorities that Equity Advocates and members of the NY Food Policy Alliance that we convene advocated for, including:

• $258 Million for CUNY to expand part time tuition assistance (TAP) for students, establish child care centers on CUNY and SUNY campuses and hire additional full time staff. 

• $56 Million for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP)

• $50 Million for the Nourish NY Program

• $25 Million for the New York Restaurant Resiliency Grant Program.

• $11.5 Million to Support Farm to School in New York State, including increasing the reimbursement subsidy to schools to 25 cents per meal

• $4 Million to the Department of Agriculture and Markets for a competitive grant program for socially and economically disadvantaged farmers and CBOs that work with them, including urban farmers.

• $2M for Double Up Food Bucks administered by Field and Fork Network

• $1.064 Million at Department of Agriculture and Markets for the development of regional food hubs to facilitate the transportation of locally grown produce to urban markets, including the development of cooperative food hubs

• $1 Million for the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP)

• $800,000 for the Department of Agriculture and Markets new Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grant Program

• $200,000 to Black Farmers United- NYS to advance their mission and assist BIPOC owned farms and food businesses.

We were disappointed that the Administration did not make investments to expand access to school meals by providing Healthy School Meals for All in New York State. During the pandemic, schools have offered meals at no cost, ensuring students’ access to a healthy breakfast and lunch each school day; however, nationwide waivers enabling that flexibility are set to expire in June 2022. As a result, more than 800,000 students across NY State will lose access to free school meals and the educational, health, social, and economic benefits that come with them.  

In addition, the Hochul Administration failed to re- fund the Excluded Workers Fund which provides payment to workers with low income who lost income due to COVID and who are not eligible for Unemployment Insurance (UI) due to immigration status or other factors. State legislators also did not include in the final budget bill language from S1175A/A5081 to legalize and decriminalize sidewalk vending without a permit across the state or the New Deal for CUNY bill that would have made CUNY tuition free again and helped dramatically reduce hunger rates among students. 

Looking ahead, we are eager to work with the Hochul Administration to ensure that the investments announced in this budget are successfully implemented and administered with the input of experts within the food nonprofit community. We also look forward to working with leadership at the state level to see that funding is directed towards communities of color that have been hit the hardest by the economic, hunger and health crises exacerbated by COVID-19.

Equity Advocates' Youth Food Justice Organizers Urge NYC to Restore Funding for Composting

We are pleased to share that in 2022 Equity Advocates launched a Youth Food Justice Organizers program for young New Yorkers to learn about food policy and engage in advocacy to advance food justice in communities across NYC. With support from Levitt Foundation, we partnered with Teens for Food Justice (TFFJ) to recruit a cohort of 6 young New Yorkers, aged 14 to 22, who are committed to deepening their food policy knowledge and advocacy skills to build a more just food system.

In March, the youth cohort reviewed Mayor Eric Adams’ preliminary budget and used their newfound advocacy skills to write and submit written testimony urging NYC City Council Members to fully fund and restore curbside and community composting programs in the budget. 

Our Youth Food Justice Organizer designed the program to provide the foundational advocacy skills and knowledge so these young people can actively engage in food justice advocacy campaigns in partnership with the NYC Food Policy Alliance.  During our 8-month program, we meet biweekly to learn about food policy and local food governance, including workshops on the NYC budget and food funding, how to provide testimony at a City Council hearing, and best practices for meeting with policy makers.

Special thanks to Levitt Foundation for its support of this work.

Equity Advocates: 2021 in Review

Despite a tumultuous year and an ongoing pandemic, with your support we made great strides in advancing food equity in NYC in 2021 including:

• Hosting 10 advocacy training workshops for 260 community partners 

• Growing and formalizing the NYC Food Policy Alliance (formerly the NY COVID-19 Food Coalition), a multi-sector group of 40+ food system stakeholders advocating for public policies and funding that address the vulnerabilities and injustices of the food system. 

• Co-hosting the Mayoral Food Forum: Town Hall on the Future of Food, the only mayoral forum focused on food in New York City, with 2,500 attendees

• Gabrielle Blavatsky, Equity Advocates’ Co-Founder and Policy Director, was named to Mayor-Elect Eric Adams’ Food Policy Transition Committee! She co-leads the Urban Agriculture sub-committee with Tony Hillery of Harlem Grown. As a member of the Transition Committee, Gabrielle is working with fellow food leaders to inform strategic priorities for the incoming administration. 

• Securing $250 million in food system investments through the New York City Budget and $25 million in the New York State Budget

• Successfully advocating for the passage of 2 new NYC laws supporting Urban Agriculture and inclusivity in Urban Agriculture policy making 

• Starting a new Youth Organizing program to give youth a powerful voice in shaping food policy

• Growing our team with a new Youth Organizer and 3 Board Members, bringing policy, community organizing, communications, fundraising experience, as well as  real-life experience working with Equity Advocates as former and current community partners

We’re so glad that you’re with us in helping build a powerful, organized movement of grassroots food leaders.

Equity Advocates Celebrates $280 Million Food System Investments in the NYC FY 2022 Adopted Budget

On June 30, 2021, the City Council and Mayor de Blasio reached a deal on the Recovery Budget, a $98.7 billion dollar budget for New York City’s Fiscal Year 2022. The largest budget in NYC history, the FY22 Adopted Budget includes $14 billion dollars in federal aid from federal stimulus packages passed over the last year. Major initiatives in the budget include a $1 Billion rainy day fund, free universal 3-K for all New York City three-year-olds, $600 Million for more than 1,000 schools to accomplish Fair Student Funding, and an additional $200 Million for the NYPD despite renewed calls from advocates in the Budget Justice Movement to reinvest funds from the agency towards human service organizations. 

In addition to historic investments made by the administration, City Council Discretionary Funds were returned to pre-pandemic 2020 funding levels after receiving a drastic cut in FY21.These funds offer much-needed support to nonprofits providing critical services to communities hardest hit by the economic and health crisis created by COVID. (We highly recommend you search Schedule C for your organization’s name if you applied for discretionary dollars to see if you were awarded any funds!) The budget reversed cuts made to libraries, parks and cultural institutions that were made during the peak of the pandemic. 

Food Systems Initiatives Funded in the New York City FY22 Adopted Budget 

We were incredibly pleased to see that over $280 Million was invested in initiatives that will help support food system recovery and address the ongoing hunger crisis. Included in the final budget were the following priorities that Equity Advocates and the members of the NY COVID-19 Food Coalition that we convene advocated for, including: 

• $27 Million for the Pandemic Emergency Food Reserve Program (P-FRED) to expand emergency food distribution including fresh produce and shelf stable goods to pantries. These funds originated from the US Treasury COVID Fund. There is the potential for an additional $12.5M to be added to P-FRED this fall. 

• $24M one time citywide investment through HRA for a 1% bonus for Human Service Contractors, significantly less than the $120 Million requested by City Council to help support nonprofits severely impacted by the COVID pandemic.

• $23.8 Million for the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP), a $3.6M increase from FY21 levels. 

• $12.5 Million from City Council for food pantries outside of the EFAP network, a $6.81 Million increase over FY21 levels. 

• $167 million for 75,000 slots for the Summer Youth Employment Program. In the final adopted budget $12.3 million was included for 5,000 additional CUNY Summer Youth Employment slots. This on top of the restoration of SYEP funds and 70,000 slots in the Preliminary Budget. 

• $7 Million to restore and increase organics/compost drop off sites, a much smaller investment than the $32.6M that the NY COVID-19 Food Coalition advocated for to fully fund the NYC Composting program.

• $6.8 Million for the new Eat Well Eat Local Pilot Program overseen by the Mayors’ Office of Food Policy (located in the Department of Environmental Protection budget). This pilot program will serve the approximately 30,000 Get Food participants still enrolled in the program by offering them monthly subsidies to order groceries online. 

• $3.9 Million for 7 staff members in the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy. These funds originated from Federal funds.

• $2.134 million for the Access to Healthy Food and Nutritional Education Council initiative, which funds farmers markets, urban farms, community gardens, and programs to expand the use of SNAP benefits.

• $3.8M for the SBS Worker Cooperative Fund Council initiative

• $2.1M for CUNY Health and Food Access & Benefits, which funds nutrition education and student pantries.

• $1.5M for the Food Access and Benefits Council Initiative (HRA)

• $250,000 for the Food Ed Hub, housed in the Tisch Food Center

For a deeper dive into the numbers, we developed a comprehensive spreadsheet with these investments and how they stack up to funding included in the FY21 NYC Council Budget and subsequent budgets.

We were disappointed that the Administration did not make investments to fund Home Delivered Meals for Home Bound Adults through the Department for the Aging or expand SNAP and WIC benefits outreach and enrollment at HRA, despite City Council’s $37 million request for the initiative and calls from advocates within our coalition. In addition, the Administration and City Council failed to fund either the Food Justice Fund Pilot Program through the Mayor's Office of Food Policy called for by our Coalition or additional School Food Managers at the Office of Food and Nutrition Services within the Department of Education. 

Looking ahead, we are eager to work with the incoming 2022 Mayoral Administration, Borough Presidents and new City Council to ensure that the investments announced in this budget result in an equitable recovery and promote the well-being of New York City’s estimated 1.5 Million hungry families.