News from New York State Office of Temporary & Disability Assistance

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State Outlines Comprehensive Efforts to Fight Hunger

Expanding Food Stamp Enrollment A Priority

ALBANY, NY (11/21/2007; 1500)(readMedia)-- On the eve of Thanksgiving, State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) Commissioner David A. Hansell today highlighted steps his agency is taking to address hunger in New York by enhancing enrollment in the Food Stamp Program, and advocating for federal changes to expand food stamp benefits.

“During the holidays, many families are reminded how tough it is to make ends meet, even when they are working hard,’’ Commissioner Hansell said. “Any time of year, Food Stamps can help families stretch a paycheck and serve healthy meals.”

Commissioner Hansell detailed OTDA’s efforts after volunteering to help serve hot meals to needy New Yorkers at the Food Bank For New York City’s Community Kitchen in Harlem Wednesday afternoon. Grassroots organizations such as the Food Bank have provided significant assistance in helping increase the number of New Yorkers receiving Food Stamps, helping to lift many families out of the cycle of food insecurity.

“I must commend the Food Bank, its staff and the numerous volunteers who give of their time throughout the year to ensure New Yorkers don’t go hungry,” Commissioner Hansell said.

“We welcome Commissioner Hansell to the Food Bank For New York City and the Community Kitchen,” said Lucy Cabrera, President/CEO of the Food Bank For New York City. “It has been a hard year for the city’s emergency food programs and the families they serve. Our member agencies are working hard to provide New Yorkers in need with nutritious food and connect them to the Food Stamp Program. We appreciate Governor Spitzer and Commissioner Hansell’s support and particularly their new initiative to ensure that more eligible working families have access to food stamps.”

In January, OTDA will initiate new approaches to reaching working families who are eligible but not receiving Food Stamps. Governor Spitzer’s Working Families Food Stamp Initiative aims to enroll an additional 100,000 low-income households, or approximately 215,000 individuals, by the end of 2008.

Specifically, the initiative will simplify the application process for eligible working families, expand online application procedures and remove existing barriers to enrollment, Commissioner Hansell explained during testimony before the New York City Council Committee on General Welfare Tuesday. It will also allow the state to eliminate the resource limit for eligibility, to allow low-income families to begin to acquire the assets they need to climb out of poverty without jeopardizing their food stamp benefits, he said.

OTDA also continues to advocate aggressively for New York’s interests as Congress debates the reauthorization of the Food Stamp Program as part of the Farm Bill legislation. OTDA has pushed for increasing benefit levels and simplifying the program, he said.

“We can all agree that food insecurity is unacceptable in New York,” Commissioner Hansell said. “We at OTDA remain committed to doing everything within our power to remedy it.”

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