Anti-poverty groups push state welfare grant hike

Posted: 01.07.2009 at 10:53 AM

ALBANY (AP) -- New York is buried in a historic recession, facing rising food prices and greater living expenses, and anti-poverty groups argue it's more urgent than ever to increase the state's welfare grant. Anti-poverty groups have called for what would be the first increase in the welfare grant since 1990 and expanded access to Medicaid.

Paterson wants to increase the welfare grant in 2010 to provide a family of three with $387 a month by 2012, up from the current $291 a month, plus a housing allowance that varies by region. In New York City that allowance brings the assistance to $691, while in Albany it's $600 a month, according to the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

If passed, Paterson's proposal would benefit about 200,000 households.

While the groups praised his proposal, many argued more is needed.

"People are losing their homes, their jobs and their life savings," said Mark Dunlea, executive director of New York's Hunger Action Network. "So far the government has focused on bailing out those who created the problem rather than the victims. We need New York state lawmakers to stand up."

New York's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 6.1 percent in November, from 5.7 percent in October, as private-sector employers cut 23,500 jobs.

Overall, the 36.2 million American adults and children who struggled with hunger during 2007 was up slightly from 35.5 million in 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That was 12.2 percent of Americans who didn't have the money or assistance to get enough food to maintain active, healthy lives, according to USDA.

Paterson says the state faces at least $15 billion in deficits over two years.

David Hansell, commissioner for the agency, has said New York made changes to the food stamp program to make it easier for working families to apply for benefits - no more fingerprint requirements or face-to-face interviews.

The state has added more than $170 million in additional food stamp benefits for New Yorkers, and enrolled an additional 100,000 households in the food stamps program in the past year.