Two representatives from Foodlink made the trip to Albany on March 13 to join fellow food bankers and other community partners to discuss legislation and anti-hunger priorities for the next state budget.
Foodlink’s Mark Dwyer and Meg Demment met with the offices of: Assemblyman David DiPietro (147th District, which includes Wyoming County), Assemblyman Harry Bronson (138th District, which includes parts of Rochester and Monroe County), Senator Pamela Helming (54th District, which includes parts of Wayne, Monroe, Ontario and Seneca counties), and Senator Rich Funke (55th District, which includes parts of Monroe and Ontario counties).
Food bankers from the Southern Tier, Long Island, New York City, Central NY and Western NY joined Foodlink for the trip, which was organized by our Food Bank Association of New York State. Our main priorities included:
- Support of the Food Rescue and Recycling Act, which would require large food waste generators (2,000+ lbs per week) to donate edible food, and compost and send inedible food to an anaerobic digestor.
- Support for the governor’s No Student Goes Hungry proposal, which includes a ban on lunch-shaming, expansion of the Farm-to-School program, establishing Breakfast After the Bell policy at high-need schools, increasing the school meal reimbursement rate for districts who emphasize local ingredients, and the establishment of food pantries at SUNY and CUNY campuses.
- Request the reinstatement of COLA (Cost of Living Allowance) funding for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program.
