Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas (Photo: Instagram: @votejgr)
April 14, 2022 By Allie Griffin
Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas announced this week that she helped secure funding for several key initiatives in the new state budget.
State lawmakers passed the final $220 billion state budget for fiscal year 2023 over the weekend. The budget, González-Rojas said, included funding for renters and small landlords, hospitals, schools, CUNY, childcare and other items she advocated for.
The assembly member said she also spearheaded efforts to secure funding to fight food insecurity — which skyrocketed in Queens during the pandemic — as well as relief funding for victims of Hurricane Ida.
“Two major issues have impacted our community since I assumed office, which includes increasingly worsening food insecurity and the damage of Hurricane Ida,” González-Rojas said in a statement. “That’s why I advocated for millions of dollars to assist my constituents and New Yorkers with both.”
She helped secure $1 million in funding for a program to help food-insecure New Yorkers access SNAP benefits as well as $41 million in funding for homeowners affected by Hurricane Ida.
The $1 million is part of an outreach program that aims to increase awareness of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)– which helps low income residents buy food– as a means to boost enrollment. The outreach will offer one-on-one assistance to help people eligible for SNAP get enrolled into the program. Coordinators can help them gather necessary documents, fill out and send the application and provide information on other food assistance programs.
The $41 million Ida relief fund, meanwhile, will help homeowners repair storm and flood damage to their homes from the 2021 hurricane. More than 2,900 homes suffered damages and many Queens and Long Island residents are still in desperate need of assistance, González-Rojas said.
“I’m proud to have successfully advocated for our state budget to include vital investments to our communities,” she said. “They will help us to recover from the impact of the pandemic in a just and equitable way.”
Last week we passed a NYS budget and it missed the mark in many areas. I’m proud to have led and co-led the charge on these items. First, I’m thrilled my bill, the Reproductive Equity Act was passed to ensure that all abortions can be covered regardless of the type of care. pic.twitter.com/Gb9qLSM1rL
— Jessica González-Rojas (@votejgr) April 14, 2022
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We need more money to buy food and pay rent. Gracias.