[Faith & Hunger] Hunger Action Applauds Spitzer's Increase in Funding for Emergency Food

[Dunleamark at aol.com]

Hunger Action Network of NYS 
Media Release 
For More Info: Mark Dunlea, 518 434-7371 xt 1# 
Bich Ha Pham, 212 741-8192 xt 1# 
Hunger Action Network Applauds Spitzer's Proposal for $5.5  Million in 
increased funding for emergency food 
More Needs to Done to Help Welfare Participants Escape  Poverty 
The Hunger Action Network applauded Governor Spitzer today  for increasing 
funding for emergency food by $5.5 million, from $22.8 million to  $28.3 
million. Funds are provided to the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition  Assistance 
Program from both Department of Health and through the TANF Block  grant. 
"The Governor's proposed budget is a strong first step in  addressing hunger 
in New York. We hope the Legislature will go further in  recognizing the 
increasing demand upon emergency food programs. While the  Governor's proposal 
offsets the cuts that were made in funding in recent years,  it still falls short 
of keep pace with the increased demand for emergency food,"  said Mark Dunlea, 
Associate Director of the Hunger Action Network of  NYS. 
Over 2 million New Yorkers utilize food pantries and soup  kitchens each 
year. There are over 3,000 such programs in the state. 
Hunger Action Network was disappointed however that the  Governor failed to 
propose new initiatives to help welfare participants who work  escape poverty. 
The group will be meeting with administration and legislative  representatives 
next week to discuss possible future steps. 
“We would have liked to see the state’s welfare funding go  towards raising 
the welfare grant and increasing the amount of income low-income  and working 
poor families bring home such as the earned income disregard and  wage 
supplements,” added Bich Ha Pham, the group’s Executive  Director..  

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