NYS announces SNAP recipients to receive additional $100 million in food assistance

NEW YORK STATE — The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) announced more than $100 million in additional emergency food assistance for New Yorkers adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. About 750,000 low-income individuals and families enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will receive the maximum allowable benefit for June to help them avoid food insecurity.

OTDA will be issuing the emergency assistance to any SNAP household that does not ordinarily receive the maximum allowable benefit per month, which is $194 for an individual and $646 for a family of four. 

This will mark the fourth consecutive month all NY SNAP recipients have received the maximum benefit. For more information, visit www.bit.ly/snapfaq.

Nonprofits to receive grant to help with food assistance, other community needs 

MILFORD, PA — In its efforts to alleviate hardships caused by the pandemic, the Greater Pike COVID Relief Fund (GPCRF) is awarding grants to five more nonprofits. The grants total $15,000.

The Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) is a recent grantee. Jeff Rosalsky, PEEC Executive Director, said the award will go towards the purchase of food supplies to prepare individually packaged meals for distribution through Pike County Area on Aging and local food pantries.  Rosalsky explained, “We have a huge commercial kitchen… So with the facilities and our chef, Erin Taylor…I had the idea we could help the community.”  Food will also be donated to emergency workers and school lunch programs. Rosalsky noted the Greater Pike grant helped make it happen with an added benefit: it will be matched in kind by Pocono Produce.

Other GPCRF grants went to Bushkill Outreach to support its food pantry activities; Devereux Advanced Behavior for the purchase of Personal Protection Equipment for caseworkers and clients; Church at Hemlock Farms for truck rental and travel costs to Second Harvest Food Pantry to pick up free food for distribution; and Family Service Association of NEPA for referral services that include access to food pantries, emergency shelter, utility assistance, clothing, drug and alcohol intervention and mental health. 

For more information and to make a donation to GPCRF, visit www.greaterpike.org. Applications for Greater Pike COVID-19 relief are still being accepted: www.greaterpike.org/1-grant-application.

Nourish NY brings more than three million pounds of food to those in need, Metzger introduces double funding 

NEW YORK STATE — Nourish New York, Gov. Cuomo’s initiative to get food from farmers to families in need during the COVID-19 outbreak, reached a milestone: The amount of surplus dairy and produce provided through New York’s food banks reached more than three million pounds. This includes 1.36 million pounds of dairy products and more than 1.6 million pounds of produce from nearly 4,000 farms that have been provided to more than 100,000 households. There have been more than 350 Nourish NY distribution events across the state since the program was launched in May. 

The Nourish New York initiative aims to quickly reroute New York’s surplus agricultural products to people who need them through the state’s food banks. The state is providing $25 million to food banks and other emergency food providers so they can buy surplus milk, yogurt, cheese, vegetables, fruit and more. Sen. Jen Metzger has introduced a bill (S8504) that would double its funding, using $25 million of unallocated funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 or other future federal stimulus funding. 

The Nourish New York program also provides support to the state’s food producers who have lost markets as a result of school and restaurant closures. The program is administered by the State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the New York State Department of Health.

Basket Historical Society annual meeting

LONG EDDY, NY — The Basket Historical Society will hold its annual meeting on Saturday, June 27 at 10:30 a.m.  The meeting will be held outdoors in the park next to the museum on Route 97. All social distancing and gathering size limitations in effect at that time will be followed. Masks will be required for all attendees.

The Basket Historical Society preserves and presents the history of the Upper Delaware area. For more information, email baskethistsociety@gmail.com.

Tying our community together

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — The Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce has created a social media movement as the county begins to reopen. It invites business proprietors to take a selfie or video and post it to the chamber’s Facebook page with the hashtag #TyingOurCommunityTogether. The chamber will use this to promote you and your business as helping to tie the community together, free of charge. It will supply the ribbon and a door tag to display, marking your business as a participant. When the county is reopened, the chamber will do community-wide ribbon cuttings to celebrate.

For more information and to find out how to participate, visit www.bit.ly/sctying.  

TCFD thanks Schumer and Delgado

HURLEYVILLE, NY — The Center for Discovery (TCFD) extends its sincere gratitude to Sen. Charles E. Schumer and Rep. Antonio Delgado for their steadfast support of the most vulnerable population in the state, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization urges more support for those with complex conditions.

“Senator Schumer and his staff have been remarkable in their response to our needs. They and Congressman Delgado’s team have carefully listened and truly understand the extreme measures necessary to protect and care for the complex and medically fragile residents of the center. Additionally, they understand the burden of these extra costs on organizations like TCFD.  We couldn’t be more grateful for the Senator’s and Congressman’s assistance in reaching out to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and his staff,” said TCFD President and CEO Patrick H. Dollard.  

For more information about TCFD, visit www.thecenterfordiscovery.org.

To read the full letter to Azar and his staff from Sen. Schumer, visit www.bit.ly/tcfdschumer. To read Rep. Delgado’s, visit www.bit.ly/tcfddelgado. 

Sponsor a Senior initiative draws donations and volunteers 

LORDS VALLEY, PA — Pike County’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA) initiated the Sponsor a Senior campaign in March, asking for donations to help cover the $15 cost of meals for a week. To date, the campaign has raised about $15,000. 

“During this very challenging time, there has been a real sense of community around this campaign, and it has brought new awareness to one of our core services that helps to provide nutrition to older adults as well as socialization when our drivers deliver the meals to their doorsteps,” said AAA Executive Director Robin Skibber, RD, LDN. 

AAA has also experienced an increase in volunteers during the COVID-19 crisis. “Volunteers are the heartbeat that helps keep our Home Delivered Meals Program alive,” added Skibber.

To support Pike County Home Delivered Meals, visit www.pikeaaa.org. For more information on how you can volunteer at Pike County Area Agency on Aging email
svanorden@pikepa.org or call 570/775-5550 ext. 1303.

Celebrate Black Queer Pride

MONTICELLO, NY — On Saturday, June 27 at 12 noon, an event to commemorate the Black LGBTQ lives lost while celebrating Pride and the Black Lives Matter message will take place at the courthouse. 

Everyone is welcome to attend. Wear masks and bring signs. 

For more information, visit www.bit.ly/RRblm27.

Activities and meals to resume at three senior centers

HONESDALE, PA — The Wayne County Area Agency on Aging set Monday, June 29 as the target date for resuming activities and meals at the three Senior Centers in Honesdale, Hawley and Hamlin. The Northern Wayne group will resume its regular schedule in August.

Reopened centers will not be able to offer all of the previous activities; a schedule will be posted online and on social media at a later date. 

That agency intends to continue to offer take-out meals at all three centers (11 a.m. to 12 noon with reservations by 1 p.m. on the prior business day), Facebook Live Chair Exercise (Mondays at 9 a.m.) and check-in calls (weekly or biweekly) for those who would prefer this method of participation.

To view new safety protocols and guidelines, visit www.bit.ly/RRwcaaa. For more information, call the office at 570/253-4262.

Sullivan County Schol Boards Association honors two Monticello teachers

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — The Sullivan County School Boards Association is honoring two members of the Monticello Central School District family for excellence and honoring their dedication to the school and greater community. Ann Hazelnis, an English teacher at Monticello High School, will receive the Outstanding Educators Award and Martin Colavito is receiving the Outstanding Friend to Education Award.

The Sullivan County School Boards Association will be present the awards in the fall.