Coalition joins advocates, Episcopal Church in calling for state $$ increase

Thursday, March 16, 2006, marked the 16th annual Hunger Awareness Day in New York State. In honor of the day, the Coalition Against Hunger, the Hunger Action Network, Feed the Solution and Episcopal emergency food program staff, clients and clergy called upon the New York State Legislature to increase funding for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP). HPNAP is the main source of state funding for food banks, soup kitchens, food pantries, and food rescue organizations. Governor George Pataki’s budget proposal would leave food pantries and soup kitchens statewide with two million dollars less in HPNAP funding than at its peak level four years ago, even though the number of people served by such agencies has skyrocketed during the same time period.