Legislators, Advocates, and Binghamton Residents Discuss the State of Food and Housing Insecurity in Upstate New York
Empire State Voices, Economic Security Project Host a Community Forum on the Threats to the Social Safety Net and the Opportunities for Progress
BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK — Last Thursday, Empire State Voices and Economic Security Project hosted a community forum at Binghamton University on the issues of food and housing insecurity in Upstate New York. State Senator Lea Webb, Nonprofit Director Les Aylesworth, and Community Organizer Salka Valerio joined Empire State Voices Organizing Director Jay Brandon and Regional Organizer Zachary Tirgan for a moderated panel discussion on the state of food and housing assistance programs, the current threats to the social safety net, and the legislative steps needed to ensure all New York families can afford groceries and safe housing.
From left to right: Senator Lea Webb, Salka Valerio, Zachary Tirgan, Jay Brandon, Les Aylesworth | Credit: EMPIRE STATE VOICES
Much of the evening’s conversation centered around ongoing attempts to undermine and weaken programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Under the guise of fiscal responsibility, Republicans in Congress have pushed to add harsh new work requirements and limit future benefit increases, threatening to leave low-income families without the means to put food on the table. Meanwhile, they continue to fight to extend tax breaks for the richest Americans, a move that would cost up to $5 trillion.
“The purpose of a safety net is to catch you when you fall. It has to function. It's got to actually catch people,” said Les Aylesworth, Director of the Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse. “The holes can’t be so big that the person can slide through, and it can't be so weak that it doesn't support you... One of the aims should be that it empowers that person and lifts them up. It's not about a handout but a hand up.”
Republicans in Congress have pushed to add harsh new work requirements and limit future benefit increases to SNAP, threatening to leave low-income families without the means to put food on the table. | Credit: LILY TENER, PIPE DREAM
However, the conversation maintained a thread of hope for the future as panelists discussed the opportunities for progress at the federal, state, and local levels.
“I would say one of the biggest pillars that I think should be part of any safety net is dignity and respect,” said Senator Lea Webb. “When you talk about the challenges around the issues we’re talking about tonight — housing, food insecurity — a lot of the stigma that gets associated with individuals who are reliant upon these services... I think for any safety net it has to be centered around dignity, respect, and treating people as human beings. Because these issues that we’re talking about tonight are fundamental needs we have, regardless of your income status.”
“The truth of the matter is, we do have the resources to address these problems—it just comes down to where our priorities lie,” said Zachary Tirgan, NY-19 Regional Organizing Director for Empire State Voices. “The same legislators in Washington that claim these programs are too expensive are in the next breath arguing for tax breaks for billionaires. If our goal is to ensure that all Americans are treated with dignity and respect, I think the path forward becomes incredibly clear.”
To learn more about Empire State Voices, 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.
About Economic Security Project Action
Economic Security Project Action mobilizes resources and people behind ideas that build economic power for all Americans. As an ideas advocacy organization, we legitimize our issues by supporting cutting-edge research and elevating champions, win concrete policy victories for the communities that need to see change now, and provoke the conventional wisdom to shift what’s considered possible. Our team of academics, organizers, practitioners, and culture makers disburse grants, run issue campaigns, develop creative interventions and research products to support the field and coordinate events to encourage investment and action from others.
