As part of a City Council effort to increase the number of New Yorkers receiving food stamps by 350,000 over the next three years, Councilmember David Weprin visited P.S. 135 on Friday, November 17, to help raise awareness for the Council's new “Food Today, Healthy Tomorrow” initiative.
The program seeks to educate and encourage participation among the estimated 500,000 New Yorkers who qualify for food stamps but don't receive them.
According to a recent report from the Fiscal Policy Institute, helping these New Yorkers sign up and use these benefits - worth more than $350 million in federal aid - would create a ripple effect in the City's economy. It would boost business for grocery stores, create jobs in industries supporting grocery stores and add an additional $210 million annually to the City's economy.
“The Food Stamp Program is a significant step toward ensuring a healthier New York for those who are unable to afford the costs of maintaining a proper diet,” said Weprin.
For more information, contact 3-1-1 or your local City Councilmember.
City Council pushing food stamps
By Karen James
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