New Yorkers Gather in Staten Island for Policy Forum and Back-to-School Giveaway
Between Republican Funding Cuts & Trump’s Tariffs, Working Families are Feeling the Squeeze
STAPLETON, NEW YORK — Yesterday, local Staten Island families gathered at Central Family Life Center in Stapleton for a community policy forum on the affordability crisis facing New York working families and back-to-school supply giveaway.
Organized by Citizen Action of New York, 1199SEIU, Empire State Voices, Healthcare Education Project, and Central Family Life Center, the event featured presentations on several recently enacted federal policies that have significantly worsened the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. From funding cuts for healthcare, housing, and food assistance programs leaving less money in families’ pockets, to sweeping tariffs that have led to higher prices on school supplies, clothing, electronics, and more, working families are feeling the squeeze in all directions.
Local Staten Island families gathered at Central Family Life Center in Stapleton for a community policy forum on the affordability crisis facing New York working families. | CREDIT: 1199SEIU/HEP
“I am a caretaker for my mother, who is incapacitated, and a single mother,” said Iwana Vigo, a resident of Stapleton. “I am already struggling when it comes to providing for my family. What am I going to do when my mother's SNAP benefits are reduced? The pantry lines are already around the block. I was in a car accident recently and had surgery on my foot, and yet I still have to care for my family because I don't have anyone to help me. I am only one person, but if everyone starts speaking about their own struggles, maybe that can make a difference in how the government treats us.”
“It's both a great pleasure and a grave concern that we have to have a meeting tonight to inform the community of what's going on as a result of federal legislation passed two months ago,” said Alex Hughes, Senior Director of Hunger Prevention and Advocacy for Project Hospitality. “There are several issues: housing, food security, healthcare, and education that are all poised to be heavily affected by the legislation, so our goal here is to inform the community of everything going on and give people the tools they need to be able to fight back.”
“Our goal here is to inform the community of everything going on and give people the tools they need to be able to fight back.” -Alex Hughes, Project Hospitality | CREDIT: 1199SEIU/HEP
“The Republican Tax Law took an already dire cost-of-living crisis here in New York and made it even worse,” said Zachary Tirgan, Multi-Regional Organizing Director for Empire State Voices. “In order to pay for tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, Republicans in Congress, including Staten Island’s Rep. Malliotakis, cut funding for key programs like Medicaid and SNAP while supporting President Trump’s tariff policy, raising prices on the very supplies that families need as they prepare for the upcoming school year. These policies give to the rich while taking from those who need it the most.”
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.
