Speaker Adams, Ayala Laud Mayor’s Initiative to Help Homeless
City Council Speaker Adrienne E. Adams (D-Queens) and Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala (D-Bronx) yesterday lauded Mayor Eric Adams’ announcement that his Executive Budget will include $171 million to establish more than 1,400 additional safe haven and stabilization beds, three additional drop-in centers with support services, along with increased street outreach.
“This $171 million investment in solutions that can better help support unhoused New Yorkers transition from homelessness is the right approach and a major step forward for our city,” said Speaker Adams. “Safe Havens, stabilization beds, and drop-in centers with health care services, along with care-centered street outreach, should be the consistent focus of the City’s efforts directed to our unsheltered neighbors. The Council is proud to have prioritized elevating the need for investments in these sound policies and practices, and applaud Mayor Adams for committing this level of resources to them in his Executive Budget.”
The Council’s Preliminary Budget Response called for $114 million to expand the number of safe haven and stabilization beds to over 4,000 and create three additional drop-in centers, as well as additional funds for street outreach. Mayor Adams’ planned Executive Budget investments meet these targets, while proposing to enhance services available at drop-in centers.
“The Council knows what works to address homelessness and has been laser focused in working to expand specific homeless services as key solutions to housing insecurity,” said Ayala, chair of the General Welfare Committee. “As someone who leads the General Welfare committee, not only do I hear from New Yorkers about the issues they have with housing and homelessness resources, I also know this firsthand having experienced homelessness myself. I’m thrilled that through the collaborative efforts of this Council and Administration, a historic $171 million investment will provide quality services and resources to so many New Yorkers in need. We as a city should continue to highlight the need for investments in housing and homelessness solutions if we want to solve these challenges faced by New Yorkers and our city.”
Maloney, Nadler, Garbarino thank NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn), Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn), and Andrew Garbarino (R-Long Island), sponsors of the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act, H.R. 4965,this weekend thanked NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital for agreeing to sign a “Master Agreement” with the World Trade Center Health Program.
This will stop the delays in getting care and remove bureaucratic hurdles and the out-of-pocket costs that so many 9/11 responders and survivors have experienced in getting care from NewYork-Presbyterian, many of whom have the most severe conditions.
The Representatives first called on the Hospital to sign the Master Agreement in a March 2021 letter.
“We are glad to hear that NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital has finally changed direction and will finally give the same access to its medical facilities to the World Trade Center Health Programs 9/11 responders and survivors that all the major New York medical institutions have agreed to and will be signing a ‘Master Agreement’ with the World Trade Center Health Program,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement .
“Also, we are very gratified to hear that NewYork-Presbyterian has committed to reimburse and make whole any of those responders and survivors who ended up having co-pays charged to them personally. Those charges should never have occurred.
“We are glad that 9/11 responders and survivors will now have ease of access to NewYork-Presbyterian’s excellent medical services, now that this bureaucratic mistake is being admitted to and corrected.”
Myrie Announces State Budget Funding for New Climate Careers Initiative
Sen. Zellnor Y. Myrie (D-Central Brooklyn), In honor of Earth Day 2022, announced this year’s State Budget includes funding for an innovative partnership to connect young people from New York City to career pathways in climate and environmental science.
The program will be jointly led by SUNY’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry and CUNY’s Medgar Evers College, and will bring students to the Adirondack Park for an innovative summer experience.
“Communities like the ones I represent have been on the receiving end of environmental injustice for far too long, and as we’ve seen with recent major storms, our warming climate disproportionately impacts low-income people of color,” said Myrie. “This funding will expose the next generation of climate leaders to career pathways in sustainability and environmental science, as well as racial justice and civil rights history in the Adirondacks. I’m grateful to my partner, Assembly Member Michaelle Solages, who helped lead the fight for this important program.”
New York’s Adirondack Park was a cradle of the early civil rights movement, dating back to the mid-1800s. Specifically, Timbuctoo, outside of Lake Placid, was the site of an early black suffrage settlement, one of eight known settlements in the Adirondacks that enabled 3,000 black men to meet the property requirements granting them the right to vote in New York.
This history of opportunity at Timbuctoo will be honored and celebrated by creating a modern Timbuctoo Pipeline at the intersection of climate science and green careers, preparing young people for the threats and opportunities of the 21st century.
The Timbuctoo Pipeline Summer Climate and Careers Institute creates an innovative partnership dedicated to providing an introduction to environmental and climate science, an exploration of intersectional careers, and addressing systemic issues of access from an equity and justice perspective. This summer institute will connect youth from the Hudson River harbor to its headwaters in the Adirondack Mountains.
Meng Encourages Local High School Students to Enter Congressional Art Contest
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) last week encouraged local high school students to enter her annual congressional district art contest, a competition where teens compete to have their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol.
Meng’s contest, which consists of entries from students in her congressional district in Queens, is part of “An Artistic Discovery,” which is the national art contest held each year by the House of Representatives to showcase the artwork of all congressional district art contest winners from across the nation.
The winning artwork of Meng’s competition – along with the winning pieces from art contests in Congressional districts throughout the United States – will be displayed for one year in the halls of the U.S. Capitol for all to see including visitors to Capitol Hill, House Members, Senators and maybe even the President.
The winner of Meng’s competition, as well as second and third place runners-up, will be announced during a reception that the Congresswoman will host for students and their families, art teachers, principals and school administrators.
“Each year, students from throughout Queens submit exceptional pieces of art for the competition, and I am always impressed by their outstanding talent and creativity,” said Meng. “I encourage students to participate in this year’s contest, and look forward to congratulating the winner whose artwork will represent our congressional district in Washington, D.C. I wish the best of luck to all who enter.”
The judges will consist of outside individuals. Entries must be two-dimensional and no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. Accepted mediums include paintings, drawings, collages, prints, mixed media, computer-generated art and photographs. They must not violate U.S. copyright laws.
The deadline to submit entries to Meng’s office is May 2.
