Hunger Alert
 


Hunger Alert – January 2006

In This Issue:

1. Legislative Education and Action Day – Feb. 28
2. HANNYS Emergency Fund Drive to Offset CFNP Cuts
3. Legislature Gives $100M for High Heating Bills
4. National Call-In Week To Stop Federal Budget Cuts Starts January 23
5. Shop for your Valentines Gift on-line and support Hunger Action for free!
6. Update on NYS Food Policy Council
7. Hunger Action Joins In Call to Make Food Stamps Easier
8. Faith and Hunger Network Conference in Albany on Sun. Feb. 12; Poughkeepsie on Sun. Feb. 26
9. Feast for Famine in Albany on Wed. May 24th

1. Make Your Voice Heard in Albany – February 28th!

Hunger Action Network and the Empire State Economic Security Campaign (ES2) will host our annual Legislative Education and Action Day (LEAD) in Albany on Tuesday, February 28th. We invite you to join with hundreds of social services staff and community members from all across the state to let our elected officials know what’s really needed to help families in our communities. The day will start with a briefing on the issues at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 85 Chestnut Street, Albany at 9:30 AM. Buses will be leaving from NYC, Rochester and Buffalo. Buses are leaving from Rochester, NYC, Westchester, and possibly Poughkeepsie and Buffalo. Call (212) 741-8192 for more info.

The State budget as always will be a key focus. The Governor once again has proposed deep cuts in health care. Bad welfare programs include full family sanctions and a cut in the Earned Income Disregard. We will also focus on securing health insurance for all New Yorkers and $1 billion for the NYS Housing Trust Fund that would result in thousands of construction jobs to build much needed affordable housing. ES2 will continue to work on improving access to education –from English for Speakers of Other Languages to college – for welfare participants. Finally, the campaign will urge the state to ensure that corporate subsidies and tax credits result in the creation of jobs in New York, close various corporate tax loopholes, and make the tax system fairer.

2. Congress Eliminates All Funding for Community Food Nutrition Program – Hunger Action Launches Emergency Funding Drive

The $7 million budgeted nationally for the Federal Community Food and Nutrition Programs is poised to be eliminated. This has been by far the largest and most stable funding that HANNYS has received over the years. Our CFNP work and staff will be cut unless we are able to raise sufficient funds from private sector resources.

The Community Food and Nutrition Program (CFNP) has helped HANNYS: Establish a toll-free statewide hunger hotline to connect families with free food at a local soup kitchen or with other food sources; Develop an on-line Emergency Food Program (EFP) directory that allows hungry people to find the closest EFP and receive free emergency food; promote innovative projects; Identify local child nutrition programs for those in need, and, Provide technical assistance about public/private resources

We are continually encouraged by New Yorkers’ help to those in need and hope we can count on your financial support to continue HANNYS’ valuable work. You can make a donation on line through our website (www.hungeractionnys.org) or by sending a check to HANNYS, 275 State St., Albany NY 12210.

3. Legislature Agrees to Give $100 Million to HEAP – Another $170 Million Still sought

The State Legislature has agreed to an emergency appropriation of $100 million for the Home Energy Assistance Program as part of the end of the year deficiency budget. Hunger Action and other groups are asking for $270 million just to reflect the increase in heating costs. The Assembly passed a bill for $200 million. Governor Pataki has been pushing instead for a $500 tax credit for seniors. But a tax credit that comes 15 months from now doesn’t help you pay the heating bills which are due now.

4. National Call-In Week To Stop Federal Budget Cuts Starts January 23 - Call your U.S. Representative toll-free: 800-426-8073

On December 19, the House of Representatives approved a budget bill in the middle of the night that slashes aid Americans depend on. The bill protects powerful interests with high-paid lobbyists such as the health insurance industry, drug companies, and banks -- while it hurts people who need Medicaid, student loans, child care, child support enforcement, and disability assistance. Because the Senate made some small changes, the bill goes back to the House for another vote on February 1.

Call your U.S. Representative toll-free at 800-426-8073 starting January 23. Tell them: “My name is _______________ and I live in (your town/city). I would like Representative [name] to vote NO on the budget cuts bill (S.1932). This bill will cut billions in vital services, including Medicaid, SSI, foster care, child care, child support and student loans. I urge the Representative to vote against this bill because it chooses special interests over families.”

If you can't get through on that line, please call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. For more information, visit the Coalition on Human Needs website at http://www.chn.org/.

5. Shop for your Valentines Gift on-line and support Hunger Action for free! Visit the flowers & gifts section for fabulous gift ideas!

GreaterGood.com, Inc. makes it free and easy to support good causes through everyday Internet use. Internet users can shop at over 100 leading online merchants – including Barnes&Noble.com, Gateway, PETsMART.com, Office Deport, Brookstone, priceline, ebay, Lands' End, Dell, Office Max, and more -- and up to 15% of each purchase automatically goes to Hunger Action Network at no extra cost to you. THANKS for your support. Just go to our home page at www.hungeractionnys.org.

6. Update on NYS Food Policy Council

Assemblymember Felix Ortiz and the Assembly Task Force on Food, Farm and Nutrition Policy held a roundtable with anti-hunger, community food and agriculture representatives on January 11th to discuss the creation of a NYS Council on Food Policy. The Council’s mission would include: Hunger prevention and reduction; farm sustainability; local farm and food business development; local food processing and distribution development; Improved nutrition and health status; and, Food assistance program operations and coordination. A similar council existed in NY in the 1980s. Ortiz hopes to introduce legislation in the next month. Call Mark Dunlea at 518 434-7371, ext. 1# for more information.

7. Hunger Action Joins In Call to Make Food Stamps Easier

Hunger Action joined with Assemblymember Felix Ortiz and Senator Liz Krueger at a press conference at the State Capitol on Jan. 24 to highlight how New York State is missing federal dollars that could be helping the economy of inner cities and rural areas by increasing spending on food at supermarkets and farmers’ markets. Hundreds of millions of potential federal food stamp dollars have gone “missing” because hundreds of thousands of working families and seniors are not accessing them due to barriers or lack of effort by local officials. Hunger Action Network is working with local counties to implement online application systems. We also want to make it easier for working families by having evening and weekend hours and to waive requirements for face to face interviews.

8. Faith and Hunger Network Conference in Albany on Sun. Feb. 12; Poughkeepsie on Sun. Feb. 26

The Sixth Annual Faith and Hunger Network Conference will be held on Sunday February, 12 at the New Covenant Presbyterian Church, 916 Western Ave., Albany, (just west of Rt. 85 near State Office Campus) from 2 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. This conference is an effort by the Faith and Hunger Network to raise involvement of faith members in public policy advocacy efforts in order to end hunger in our community.

An Interfaith panel on the Relationship between Faith and Advocacy workshop will unite representatives from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Unitarian perspectives. The moderator will be Rev. Jim Reisner from Westminster Presbyterian. Panelists include Rev. Valerie Faust from Living Word Tabernacle, Ven Menshin Paul Naamon of the Tandai Buddhist Institute, Dr. Ahmed N. Kobeisy from Islamic Center of the Capital District, Rev. Linda Hoddy from Unitarian Universalists, and Rabbi Jonathan Rubenstein from the Saratoga Temple Sinai. The Conference will also have workshops on: Universal Health Care; Development Aid in third world countries How Your Faith group can assist individuals in accessing federal nutrition programs (e.g. Food Stamps, Summer Food); How to Build Tools in Your Advocacy Community

9. 16th Annual Feast for Famine on Wed. May 24th

The 16th Annual Feast for Famine fundraiser will take place on Wed. May 24th at the Empire State Plaza from 5:30 to 8 PM. It will feature fine food and beverages from more than 30 participating restaurants, coffeehouses and microbreweries.