For Immediate Release:
January 17, 2025
Contact:
Rachel Noerdlinger, rnoerdlinger@actumllc.com
Jason Elan, jelan@actumllc.com
FPWA BLASTS MAYOR ADAMS’ BUDGET PROPOSAL TO SLASH 3-K FUNDING DURING AFFORDABILITY CRISIS
Following Governor Hochul’s Affordability Push, FPWA Leadership Calls on City Council to Reject Proposal and Conduct Outreach
NEW YORK (January 17, 2025) – The Federation of Protestant and Welfare Agencies today issued the following statement in response to Mayor Adams’ preliminary budget plan that imperil thousands of 3-K seats in New York City schools. There are nearly 48,000 children in 3-K funding that provides free, full-day, high quality education to three-year old children – a critical lifeline for parents to remain in the workforce.
“Mayor Adams’ proposal to slash 3-K childcare funding is a direct contradiction to his promises to address the cost of living in New York City for families struggling to get ahead,” said Jennifer Jones Austin, CEO and Executive Director of FPWA. “Just this week, Governor Hochul made it clear that our government must ensure families have the resources they need, and cutting 3-K flies in the face of this aim. With the Administration not having done the aggressive outreach, the City Council must reject his proposal and make the necessary investments in 3-K to provide critical child development support, and with it, economic relief for working families.”
Today, families with children are more economically insecure, according to the Urban Institute’s recently released True Cost of Economic Security measure finding that 62% of families in New York City are having a hard time surviving and thriving. This is due in large part to rising childcare costs that families are struggling to afford.
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The Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA) is a leading anti-poverty, social policy and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening human services organizations and faith institutions and advancing economic opportunity and justice for New Yorkers with low incomes. Since 1922, FPWA has driven groundbreaking policy reforms to better serve those in need. We work to dismantle the structural and systemic barriers that impede economic security and well-being, and we strengthen the capacity of human services agencies and faith organizations so New Yorkers with lower incomes can thrive and live with dignity.
