Twelve state legislators who spoke at a forum in Elmsford held by Nonprofit Westchester pledged to fight to keep social safety net programs intact as the Trump administration continues to slash social services spending by the federal government. They also pledged to help ensure timely payments from New York state for nonprofit agencies that have performed contracted services for the state.
“Yesterday we lost yet another almost $4 billion from the federal government in social services,” State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins told the approximately 100 representatives of nonprofits at the forum. “This is on top of the more than $3 billion we have lost out of the health care sector.’’
Also attending the forum were Sens. Shelley Mayer, Peter Harckham, Jamaal Bailey and Nathalia Fernandez and Assemblymembers Amy Paulin, Steve Otis, Gary Pretlow, MaryJane Shimsky, Chris Burdick, Dana Levenberg and Matthew Slater.
“Our nonprofits are not just service providers; they are the backbone of Westchester’s economy and the primary defenders of our social safety net,” said Jan Fisher, executive director of Nonprofit Westchester. “Nonprofits are experiencing, as always, increased demand for services while federal resources shrink, all while operating within contracting systems that are complex, delayed and reimbursement based. We cannot exist doing our work this way,’’
Fisher pointed to a survey that showed nonprofits are owed $650 million for work they’ve already done for the state. She said that the Nonprofit Westchester membership would continue to work with legislators to advocate for more timely disbursement of funds for services already delivered.
Fisher said that a priority for her organization is to revive legislation that had passed both the State Assembly and Senate but was vetoed by Gov. Hochul that would have addressed delays in payment, reduced requirements for nonprofits to front costs for projects they undertake for the state, and simplify the contracting process for nonprofits.
