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Releases & Statements
On Friday, April 30, standing outside of Brooklyn Borough Hall, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, joined by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and ethnic community groups, held a press conference to get the word out to New York City ’s ethnic communities that an estimated 2.17 billion dollars in state and federal aid is available to them. Programs to help pay for food, utilities, prescription drugs, and health care are available to working New Yorkers across the five boroughs.
According to Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, much of the money goes unclaimed because the City agencies do not do a good enough job of making New Yorkers aware of the programs or of dispelling the stigma attached to government aid.
“This money is good news for New York City ,” Gotbaum said. “It’s time to start spreading that news.”
The report identifies five programs that offer monetary assistance to New Yorkers:
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers grants to states to help low-income pregnant women and new mothers whose children are found to be at nutritional risk. Over 525,000 New Yorkers are eligible for an average annual benefit of $431, but fewer than half are actually enrolled.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) offers low and fixed income households an average of $85 a year to help pay fuel and utility bills, but over 680,000 eligible New Yorkers are not enrolled.
Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC), a program run by the New York State Department of Health, provides prescription drug coverage up to an average $1,199 a year to elderly New Yorkers in need of financial assistance, but over 580,000 eligible seniors are not enrolled.
Over 835,000 New Yorkers who qualify for an average $1,100 a year in food stamps do not claim them.
Over 235,000 New Yorkers who qualify for an average earned income tax credit $1,719 do not claim it.
The Public Advocate is asking anyone with questions about eligibility or the application process to call her office at 212-669-7250.
“I applaud Betsy Gotbaum for identifying these resources available to New Yorkers who qualify,” said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. “There is no shame, in fact there is an obligation for those in need to utilize these funds. True Brooklynites always take advantage of a good deal.”
"Met Council works hard to help register needy clients for government programs, but so much more needs to be done," said William E. Rapfogel, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. "I am grateful that Public Advocate Gotbaum is helping publicize the availability of these programs, so that people can get closer to making ends meet in New York ."
“It is essential, in a time of shrinking resources that communities learn to share resources and identify whatever is available so that we can bring them to the communities that we are committed to serve,” said Bob Kaplan, Member, We Are All Brooklyn coalition
“Given that the number of New Yorkers forced to use soup kitchens and food pantries is at its highest level in decades, it makes no sense for the City not to do more to utilize every penny in federal anti-hunger and anti-poverty benefits,” said Joel Berg, Executive Director of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger.
“The Federal Government and our City’s human service agencies must do a more effective job of accessing and distributing available and poorly utilized funds for basic human resources of health care and feeding for the most vulnerable among us—childbearing women and children. The poor and those with significant basic human needs deserve better from us – the pay day we are neglecting today will come back as a different kind of pay day in the future.” Said Peter B. Gudaitis, Executive Director & CEO, New York Disaster Interfaith Services
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