FPWA Statement on the FY 2022 New York State Enacted Budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 12, 2021

Contact:
Rachel Noerdlinger, rnoerdlinger@mercuryllc.com
Amaris Cockfield, acockfield@mercuryllc.com

On Tuesday, Governor Cuomo released a $212 billion budget for fiscal year 2022 which includes several key investments that support the longest-suffering New Yorkers after more than a year of extreme hardship and uncertainty. In particular, $2.3 billion in federal stimulus funding will be directed towards childcare resources for families earning low incomes, which will be critical for supporting New York’s recovery as people return to work or to work out of their homes. This funding will lower copays for families and provide grants to stabilize childcare providers. We look forward to working with the state legislature to make these provisions permanent and bring true stability to families struggling to make ends meet across New York State.

We are also pleased that the state has agreed to honor their contracts and restored the 5 percent across-the-board cuts ($74 million) to the nonprofit human service providers tasked with providing essential services, often at great cost to their overall operations and the lives of their workers.

Additional wins in this budget that will help create an equitable recovery from the economic devastation brought by the pandemic include:

  • A 1% cost of living adjustment for human services workers;
  • The Excluded Workers Fund, bringing $2.1 billion in funding to support the needs of thousands of New Yorkers who were excluded from receiving any federal and state Covid-19 relief due to their immigration status;
  • A $2.4 billion Emergency Rental Assistance Program for low-income households in rental and utility arrears;
  • Full funding for Foundation Aid, phased in by 2023‐24, to secure equitable resources for low-income communities of color; and,
  • $13 million in emergency funding to support AAPI community-based organizations in addressing the rise in anti-Asian hate and the impacts of Covid-19 on the AAPI community, including $3 million to implement data disaggregation.

We applaud our champions in the legislature for these hard-fought victories.

There is, of course, still much work to be done. We are deeply disappointed that Fair Pay for Home Care was not included in this year’s budget. And while we are grateful to finally see a cost of living adjustment for human service workers, 1% is a very small step towards supporting these workers who have been waiting over a decade for a wage increase. Providing living wages for both groups of workers—comprised mostly of women of color and immigrants—is critical to advancing key goals of New York’s economic recovery: centering racial equity; getting people back to work; and improving health outcomes for marginalized communities, including older adults and people with disabilities and others served by these workers. As we move toward rebuilding our city, state, and nation in the wake of the pandemic and reinvigorated demands for racial equity, FPWA will continue to advocate alongside our coalition partners for a budget that meets the needs of every New Yorker.

About FPWA

FPWA is an anti-poverty policy and advocacy organization committed to advancing economic opportunity and upward mobility for low-income New Yorkers. Having a prominent New York presence for nearly 100 years, FPWA has long served New York City’s social service sector, providing grants to help individuals and families meet their basic needs, and advocating for fair public policies on behalf of people in need and the agencies that serve them. FPWA’s member network of 170 human-service and faith-based organizations reach more than 1.5 million people in New York’s communities each year. Join us at fpwa.org, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

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FPWA has recently been receiving claims from members of the public emailing and calling our offices that individuals posing as FPWA agents have contacted them claiming that in order for the recipient to claim grant monies from FPWA they must first send the agent personal information, a cell phone number, gift card codes or money.

FPWA does not use social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), text messages or direct phone contact to solicit, review, or make awards. FPWA staff will not call or message you requesting money in order to be eligible for an award.

Further, FPWA does not make grants directly to individuals. FPWA works with its member agency partners and other reputable community-based organizations to direct support to families and individuals in our community.

If you or someone you know has been contacted by someone posing to be an “FPWA Agent” or staff person requesting money to release a grant, please do the following:

If you have questions prior to reporting your incident, view the IC3 FAQs for more information.

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