Hunger Action Network of New York State
Annual Membership Meeting
NYC Monday Sept. 22nd 2008
schedule

Hunger Action Urges Hike in State Welfare Grant
to Combat Epidemic of Poverty

Releases Survey that shows Cost of Basic Household Items have increased 284% over last 18 years while Welfare Basic Grant has remained the Same

The Hunger Action Network today said that Governor Paterson needs to make raising the welfare grant the cornerstone of his effort to reduce poverty in New York State.

The new poverty data released earlier in the day by the federal government showed that NY’s poverty rate remains far too high at 13.7%, above the national average of 13.0%. The data  also showed  an  increase in the number of  New Yorkers  without health insurance (from 12.8% to 13..6%) and that  New York  remained the worse in the country in terms of income inequality. The percent of the state's income earned by the wealthiest 20% actually rose from 52.6 to 53.2%.

The basic welfare grant - $291 for a family of three – has not been raised in New York State since 1990. The combined welfare grant, including the shelter allowance, now comes to less than half the federal poverty level.

Standing in front of the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building in Harlem, Hunger Action released a survey showing the cost of goods covered by the basic grant (e.g., food, toilet ries, cleaning supplies, etc.) has increased much faster than the overall inflation rate of 63% over the last 18 years. A survey of 23 items showed an average increase of 284% during that time period. For instance, a half-gallon of skim milk that in 1990 cost 68 cents now goes for $2.24. The cost of a 6.4 ounce tube of toothpaste went from $1.77 in 1990 to $3.18 today. The cost of 4 rolls of Charmin toilet paper went from $1.37 to $3.89. more >

Hunger Action Network Calls on State Lawmakers to Pledge to End Poverty in New York State

Listen to Poverty Pledge >

Listen to Press Conference online >

The Hunger Action Network of New York State announced today a campaign to get state legislative candidates to sign a Poverty to Prosperity Pledge. The Pledge highlights seven key economic security issues: raising the welfare grant after 18 years; raising the state minimum wage to $10 an hour; supporting job creation, including a massive home energy conservation initiative; single payer universal health care; affordable housing; state funding for the Home Energy Assistance Program; and tax reform.

As former New York Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, "The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." By this measure, New York is failing.

”Poverty, homelessness, and hunger are significant problems in New York, a shameful situation in the richest nation in the world. New York has the greatest income inequality between the poor and rich in the country. Poverty is seldom discussed in the State Capitol, and is generally treated as an insolvable problem. It is time for lawmakers to not only make ending poverty a state priority but to be held accountable for their success in doing so,” stated Mark Dunlea, Executive Director of Hunger Action Network of New York State. read >

Hunger Action Urges Federal and State Action to Increase Funding for Home Energy Assistance, Food

Anti-hunger groups said it was critical for the federal and state government to take quick action in response to the increasing costs for energy and food before emergency food programs become overwhelmed.

The Hunger Action Network of NYS called for increased federal and state funds for the Home Energy Assistance Program and to supplement the federal food stamp program. Congress is presently considering a 20% increase in food stamp benefits as part of a possible additional economic stimulus package.

Hunger Action applauded the recent announcement by NYS that it would increase food stamp benefits through a slight adjustment in HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program). The changes will mean an average increase of $118 in monthly food stamp benefits to nearly 115,000 low-income households statewide. read >

Advocates Urge State Lawmakers to Expand Access to Education for Welfare Participants under new rules by the Bush Administration

Anti-poverty advocates and faith groups today urged Governor Paterson and State Senate to join with the Assembly to take advantage of recent changes in the federal welfare-to-work rules by the Bush administration to increase access to education for welfare participants. The Assembly bill was moved out of committee earlier this week.
 
“Governor Paterson and state lawmakers have a great opportunity to bring hope to low-income New Yorkers and economically struggling NY counties. We were pleasantly surprised that the Bush administration’s new welfare to work rules made some positive changes, recognizing that increased education leads to increased employment and earnings,” noted Rev. Debra Jameson of FOCUS Churches in Albany and a leader in the Faith and Hunger Network.

“Everyone agrees that welfare should do a better job of helping welfare participants become more employable. Unfortunately, the approach that New York has taken over the last decade has been among the least successful in the country according to the federal government. State lawmakers have been unable to come to agreement on how to respond to the Bush initiatives with just a few days before they go home for the summer. This common sense step should not become another victim of Albany gridlock," added Arleen Urell, Chair, Reform Jewish Voice on New York State. more >

Anti-Poverty Groups Urge Gov. Paterson to Support Hike in Welfare Grant, Millionaire’s Tax

Anti-poverty and faith organizations today urged Governor David Paterson to stand up for low-income New Yorkers in the 2008-09 state budget.

The groups called upon the Governor to support the first welfare grant hike in 18 years. Welfare benefits now come to less than 50% of the federal poverty level. The Assembly Democrats have proposed raising the basic welfare grant by 30% over three years. The Senate Democrats have proposed a first year grant hike of 25%. Paterson has indicated support for a welfare grant hike in the past.

Groups such as the Hunger Action Network have also been calling upon Paterson to support making wealthy New Yorkers pay their fair share of taxes. The poorest New Yorkers now pay twice as much of their income for state and local taxes as do wealthy New Yorkers like Donald Trump. A new poll by Quinnipiac University shows the public supports the Assembly proposal to raise by 1% the top personal income tax rate on millionaires by 77% to 19%. read >

New York Legislature Urged to Support National Single Payer Universal Health Care

Health care advocates today said that a single payer universal health care system is the best approach to providing quality, affordable health care to all Americans while controlling costs. The groups are planning a single payer health care lobby day and rally at the State Capitol on Tuesday May 6th.

The New Yorkers for Single Payer Health Care urged the State Assembly to pass Resolution K779 (Felix Ortiz) to support HR 676 (Conyers) in Congress. Several months ago Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried circulated a sign on letter by state legislators urging passage of HR 676.

The Governor’s Task Force on Universal Health Care is doing a cost benefit analysis of a state single payer program. The state single bill (A7354 / S 3107) has 85 co-sponsors in the Assembly. read >

It has been 17 years since New York State lawmakers last raised the welfare grant. The basic welfare grant is still $291 a month for a family of 3. The welfare shelter allowance - despite more than 20 years of litigation where the courts have ruled it is illegally low - still falls way below the real cost of housing. We are asking Governor Spitzer to correct this shameful situation by raising the basic welfare grant in the state budget he will release at the end of January 2008. If he restored the basic grant to its purchasing power in 1990, it would come to $475 a month.

To draw attention to the problem of low welfare benefits, we are asking state officials and concerned New York residents to take the Public Assistance Challenge - to live on the welfare grant for one week, starting Jan. 1.

Click here for more info on the welfare challenge

Chick here for a daily report on how Hunger Action Executive Director Mark Dunlea is doing with his challenge.

Can Incrementalism be a Path to Universal Health Care?

Governor Spitzer and state lawmakers seek an evidence-based plan that will bring comprehensive health care to all of the people of New York State, a result that almost everyone would like to see. Unfortunately, the Spitzer administration, along with many health care reformers, continually assert, without providing any evidence, that the best way to universal health care is a series of incremental steps that build upon existing programs to bring targeted populations of the uninsured into the “health care” system. The evidence from efforts in other states however show that an incremental approach is likely to fail. However, the experience in the rest of the world shows that a comprehensive single payer system will cover everyone, improve quality and cut costs. read more >