New York Launches $25 Million Restaurant Resiliency Program, Building on the Successful Nourish New York Initiative, to Provide a Boost to Struggling Restaurants While Feeding Families in Need
Restaurants Can Apply Here for the Resiliency Program
Fusion East Restaurant owner, Andrew Walcott, spoke at an event at which Governor Hochul signed legislation (S.64/A.1524) establishing a statewide Restaurant Meals Program as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
Fusion East is a chic’ Caribbean Soul restaurant in East New York, with a second location preparing to open in Brownsville. They also own and operate a brand new food truck, which provides meals at various locations throughout East Brooklyn
Governor Kathy Hochul was at the BRC (Brownsville Recreation Center), where she signed legislation (S.64/A.1524) establishing a statewide Restaurant Meals Program as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The legislation mandates the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to apply for USDA approval to authorize the program, which would allow homeless, elderly and disabled SNAP recipients to use their benefits for prepared or hot food from participating restaurants. Governor Hochul signed this legislation at the Brownsville Recreation Center in Brooklyn, NY on October 4.
The Governor also announced the launch of the $25 million Restaurant Resiliency Program to provide relief to the restaurant industry, which continues to face severe challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, proposed by the legislature, will build on the successful Nourish New York initiative. It will provide funding to New York’s network of food banks and emergency food providers to purchase prepared meals from New York restaurants and deliver them to families in need.
“It’s unconscionable that in a state as prosperous as New York, many residents still struggle to get enough food to feed their families,” Governor Hochul said. “The vital actions we’re taking—establishing two restaurant programs to help the most vulnerable New Yorkers feed themselves and help restaurants recover from this terrible pandemic—will work in tandem to put food on the table in homes across the state. This pandemic continues to impact the wallets and homes of a vast number of New Yorkers, and we’re taking any and all actions to help them support themselves and their loved ones.”
$25M for the Restaurant Resiliency Program has disappeared rather quickly with NO answers from the Agriculture and Markets Dept. Despite filling out voluminous amounts of paperwork and receiving “approval, our local restaurants have yet to be on boarded to provide meals -even though these restaurants are who this program was supposedly designed to support. Yet, other chain restaurants were easily enlisted to provide up to 500 meals a day and at an exorbitant price. For example, $9.8M was allocated to Food Bank of NYC at $35 per meal. There has been no transparency and no oversight. Who is managing or “mismanaging” this, while our Bronx neighbors go hungry? Quoting the governor “It’s unconscionable that in a state as prosperous as New York, many residents still struggle to get enough food to feed their families,” I am hoping this is not yet another case of federally funded fraud as its consequences are tragic for our neighbors.
The Governor could be helping us. We are boots on the ground, daily since May of 2020.. We are desperately in need of these prepared meals for our senior population and Bronxites who tell us daily of their struggles during this time. Our local small mom and pop restaurants are also struggling as we are all aware. Contact me at 917 533 7196