PHOTOS: Empire State Voices Donates Backpacks, School Supplies to Local Community Orgs. in NY-04, NY-19
While New York House Republicans Prioritize Corporations and the Ultra-Wealthy, Empire State Voices is Helping Working Families Make Ends Meet
ELMONT, NY; HUDSON, NY — This week, Empire State Voices (ESV) donated $1,000 worth of backpacks and school supplies to the Elmont Cultural Center and the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement. The supplies will be given to local families in need as children begin school over the next several weeks.
Backpack drive organizer Tamar Paoli Bailey stands in front of the donated school supplies on Thursday | Credit: DYLAN WHEELER / ESV
Despite inflation beginning to slow down over the summer months, New Yorkers are still struggling with high costs and stretched budgets. Over the past two years, the cost of school supplies has risen by 23.7%. Rather than address the very real pain their constituents are feeling, New York House Republicans have chosen instead to focus on helping big corporations and the ultra-wealthy. Congressmen Anthony D’Esposito (NY-04) and Marc Molinaro (NY-19), who represent the two districts targeted by ESV’s donations, both voted for the so-called ‘Limit, Save, Grow Act’ back in April, which would have had devastating consequences for New York families and children.
Among other consequences, the legislation they voted for would have:
Eliminated 21,200 preschool and childcare slots in New York
Stripped nutrition food assistance from 126,000 women and children in New York
Raised housing costs for 67,300 New York families
Gutted education funding for low-income students
…all so that they could cut taxes for billionaires and big corporations!
Columbia County Sanctuary Movement staff members stand with the boxes of donated supplies on Friday | Credit: SPENCER NOBLE / ESV
“High prices and stagnant wages mean that countless working families here on Long Island are having to make extremely painful decisions when it comes to their household expenses,” said Dylan Wheeler, NY-04 Regional Organizing Director for Empire State Voices. “Rep. D’Esposito has focused more on helping the richest Americans than he has the people in his district who are struggling to get by. We’re trying to fill at least some of that gap today by making sure people don’t have to choose between school supplies and groceries this month.”
“I don’t know how else to put it: Rep. Molinaro failed the working people here in his district,” said Spencer Noble, NY-19 Regional Organizing Director for Empire State Voices. “Rather than going to Washington and fighting to make life more affordable here in New York 19, he’s cozied up to wealthy donors and fought for big corporations and tax cheats instead. We’re doing our small part here today, but New Yorkers deserve representatives who’ll fight for New Yorkers, not corporations and wealthy donors.”
To learn more about the campaign, please reach out to press@empirestatevoices.org
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About Empire State Voices
Empire State Voices (ESV) is a multi-year campaign dedicated to amplifying the voices of everyday working New Yorkers. ESV is fighting for economic policies that make life more affordable for constituents and holding members of Congress across the state accountable when they fail to do the same.
