Comptroller Stringer and More Than 100 Community-Based Organizations Call on City to Create $25 Million Emergency Food Program to Reach Undocumented New Yorkers

(New York, NY) – New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer and more than 100 immigrant rights advocates, faith leaders and community-based organizations sent a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio calling for $25 million in FEMA reimbursement funding to be specifically dedicated to providing emergency food to undocumented New Yorkers, in addition to the City’s current emergency food programs. Unable to access federally funded safety net programs like SNAP, undocumented New Yorkers have fewer resources available to help put food on the table, and must rely solely on food pantries and mutual aid networks for additional food, which often is not enough.

The Biden Administration has agreed to lift the cap on FEMA reimbursement for New York State and City’s pandemic related costs, clearing the way for 100 percent reimbursements. This will result in $1 billion in reimbursements for New York City. Comptroller Stringer urged the City to dedicate at least $25 million of this funding to create food security programs for immigrant New Yorkers who have been left out of other safety net programs.

“It’s unconscionable that anyone should go hungry in one of the wealthiest cities in the world, especially in the middle of a public health crisis,” said Comptroller Stringer.  “Immigrant New Yorkers have been hit hard by the pandemic, with higher rates of COVID infections and job losses–yet undocumented New Yorkers have been left out of federal and state food programs. The City must act immediately to create a $25 million emergency food program that serves our undocumented communities and reaches New Yorkers where they are– regardless of immigration status, cultural background or language. I am proud to join over 100 immigrant advocates, faith leaders and community-based organizations to say loud and clear: hunger does not discriminate, and neither should we.”

In February, Comptroller Stringer unveiled a comprehensive food security plan that called for the creation of a $25 million City-based emergency food program to serve undocumented New Yorkers left out of federal and state safety net programs. The plan offers immediate local, state, and federal recommendations to close gaps in emergency food programming, including a “shared delivery zone” program that centralizes neighbors’ food deliveries to meet online retailers’ minimum purchasing requirements, expanded SNAP outreach and purchasing power, and increased halal and kosher food options.

The full letter signed by more than 100 community-based organizations is available below and here.

Dear Mayor de Blasio:

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought immeasurable harm to New Yorkers, with skyrocketing unemployment and ballooning food insecurity following waves of illness and death. People of color and immigrant New Yorkers have been hit hardest with the highest rates of COVID infections, illness and fatalities, and job and income loss, all of which have contributed to our current crisis of food insecurity. But within these communities, undocumented New Yorkers are uniquely vulnerable when tragedy strikes. Unable to access federally funded safety net programs like SNAP, undocumented New Yorkers have fewer resources available to help put food on the table, and often rely solely on food pantries and mutual aid networks for additional food, which often is not enough. In a city like New York, it’s unconscionable that anyone should go hungry.

That’s why we are calling for $25 million in FEMA reimbursement funding to be specifically dedicated to providing emergency food to undocumented New Yorkers, in addition to the City’s current emergency food programs. The Biden Administration has agreed to lift the cap on FEMA reimbursement for New York State and City’s pandemic related costs, clearing the way for 100 percent reimbursements. This will result in $1 billion in reimbursements for New York City. This funding creates an opportunity to address food insecurity among New Yorkers who cannot access the federally funded SNAP program due to immigration status, including workers in the informal economy, seniors, and others who have been hardest hit. The City should seize this opportunity and dedicate at least $25 million of this funding to create food security programs for immigrant New Yorkers who have been left out of other safety net programs.

We call on you to take immediate action and commit the funding to make this proposal a reality. Undocumented New Yorkers cannot wait for relief any longer.

Sincerely,

Scott Stringer
New York City Comptroller

Adhikaar
African Advisory Council
African Communities Together
African Community Alliance of Staten Island (ACASI)
African Services Committee
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Altagracia Faith and Justice Works
American Council of Minority Women
American Pakistani Advocacy Group
American Pakistani Public Affairs Committee
Antigua and Barbuda Progressive Society, Inc.
APNA Brooklyn Community Center
Arab American Association of NY
Arab-American Family Support Center
Ascension Food Pantry
Asian American Federation
Bangladeshi American Advocacy Group Inc.
Bangladeshi Students Associations of New York
Bronx Community Council
Bronx Immigration Partnership
Bronx Impact at Children’s Aid
Bronx Rising Initiative
Brooklyn Emerge
Caribbean Equality Project
Caribbean Women’s Health Association
Casa Yurumein
Chhaya Community Development Corporation
Chinese American Planning Council Inc.
Churches United For Fair Housing
CLOTH
Council of African Imams Inc.
Council of Peoples Organization
Council on American Islamic Relations, New York (CAIR-NY)
Dominican Women Development Center (DWDC)
Dominicanos USA
DRUM – Desis Rising Up & Moving
East New York United Concerned Citizens
El Centro del Inmigrante
Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities, Inc.
Food Assistance Collective of New York (FACNY)
Grand St. Settlement
Greater Khulna Society of USA
HABNET Chamber of Commerce
Harlem Pride
Help NYC
Hispanic Federation
ICNA Relief
India Home
Interfaith Center of New York
Jackson Heights Immigrant Solidarity Network
Jamaica Benevolent Arm and Cultural Center (JBACC)
Judson Food Bank
Judson Memorial Church
La Colmena
Los Sures
Majlis Ash-Shura: Islamic Leadership Council of New York
Make the Road New York
Masa, Inc.
Masjid Aqsa-Salam
Mexican Coalition
Micah Institute
MinKwon Center for Community Action
Muslim Community Network
Muslim Sisters of Staten Island
Nene
New Immigrant Community Empowerment
New Sanctuary Coalition
New Sanctuary Coalition Board
New York Immigration Coalition
New York Muslims United for Civic Engagement (NYMUCE)
Northwest Bronx Community Clergy Coalition
Nos Quedamos
Old Astoria Neighborhood Association
Padma Yellow Society USA
Pakistani American Youth Organization
Phipps Neighborhoods
Pottal Fii Bhantal
Queens Climate Project
Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus
Sapna NYC, Inc.
Senegalese Association of New York
Shaanti Bhavan Mandir
Shia Muslim Council of New York
Smiling Coast Women Empowerment Network
South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS)
South Asian Fund for Education, Scholarship and Training Inc. (SAFEST)
South Bronx Rising Together
South Queens Women’s March
St. Lucia House Foundation
Staten Island Hunger Task Force
Staten Island Immigrants Council
Staten Island Inter-Religious Leadership
Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center
Teens Take Charge
The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural & Educational Center
The Korean American Family Service Center
Together We Can Community Resource Center Inc.
United Madrassi Association, Inc.
United Sikhs
UnLocal, Inc.
Voces Latinas, Corp.
WHIN Food Council
Women for Afghan Women
Women’s Empowerment Coalition of NYC
Woodside on the Move

“There’s no doubt that undocumented New Yorkers have been hit the hardest during COVID-19 pandemic, especially economically as they haven’t received any financial support from the government. Food insecurity levels are still skyrocketing in our immigrant communities even after a whole year since the pandemic hit the City. It’s shameful that food workers across our City, including food vendors, can’t feed themselves and their families during this pandemic. We’re calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to take action and address the food insecurity that our immigrant New Yorkers are facing,” said Mohamed Attia, Managing Director at the Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center.

“Even as immigrants have faced higher job losses and infection rates from COVID-19, they have kept our city moving as frontline workers through this pandemic. It’s on all of us to protect their health and safety and make sure they can access basic necessities like food for their families. Thank you to Comptroller Stringer and the more than one hundred community organizations advocating for emergency food programs that will meet undocumented New Yorkers where they are and ensure no one has to go hungry based on their immigration status,” said Robert Agyemang, New York Director of African Communities Together.

“With record-high unemployment and no federal assistance, immigrants are experiencing hunger of unprecedented proportions. These frontline essential workers put themselves at risk every day, yet remain invisible and without support to stay afloat. NICE has distributed meals and grocery packages to over 100,000 immigrants and their families. The need is only growing, and we call on Mayor de Blasio to support our critical work in addressing the hunger needs of our community,” said Manuel Castro, Executive Director of New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE).

“The Arab American Association of New York stands with NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer and allies across the five boroughs in calling for $25 million FEMA reimbursement funding to be allocated specifically to undocumented New Yorkers, who have borne the brunt of the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis in our city. Since Day 1 of the pandemic, immigrant communities and communities of color have lost their livelihoods, their housing, their health, and their lives as a result of this virus and the policies we’ve enacted — or failed to enact — to respond to it. At AAANY we see it every day: families devastated by death or illness or domestic violence or eviction, businesses shuttered, children hungry. Undocumented New Yorkers have had limited recourse in protecting and providing for their families, relying on ad-hoc support networks to feed themselves and their children. With this $25 million allocation, the most vulnerable among us will finally be able to access resources and support that they have long needed — and long been denied,” said Marwa Janini, Executive Director of the Arab American Association of NY.

“This pandemic has brought to light the health disparities and inequities that have existed for years. Black, brown and immigrant communities have been the hardest hit by the pandemic and now many struggle to put food on the table. Undocumented immigrants in particular have been excluded from governmental relief. This has contributed to an increase in demand at food pantries across the city. However, pantries alone cannot address the food insecurity issues that immigrant communities are currently facing. The dedication of $25 million in FEMA reimbursement funding to provide emergency food to undocumented immigrant New Yorkers, in addition to continuing to support the city’s current emergency food programs is essential to ensure that everyone, regardless of immigration status has access to food during this health crisis,” said Becca Telzak, Director of Health Programs at Make the Road New York.

“Like so many other community organizations and food pantries around the city, we’ve been working around the clock through this pandemic to keep New Yorkers healthy, especially our undocumented brothers and sisters who have been unable to access benefits. The City must do more to make sure immigrants are not left out of safety programs, and creating a $25 million emergency food program is a necessary first step. AAF stands with Comptroller Stringer and other advocates and community-based organizations who are speaking up for our immigrant community,” said Jo-Ann Yoo, Executive Director of the Asian American Federation.

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