The New York State Legislature voted to make NOURISH NEW YORK (NYS Senate Bill S4892A), the state’s farm to food bank/pantry initiative, a permanent state program. This pandemic-initiative provides funding to New York’s food banks and emergency food providers (such as Catholic parish food pantries and other community food pantries) for the direct purchase of New York-produced fruit, vegetables and dairy products to feed those in need.  To-date, food banks have purchased and passed through to food pantries, 21 million pounds of agricultural products from New York farms which fed 1.3 million food-insecure families across the state. NOURISH NEW YORK invests in a statewide food system that expands market opportunities for farmers, eliminates food waste, and makes sure no New Yorker goes hungry.  Â
Our advocacy on Diocesan Public Policy Weekend (February 2021) helped make the NOURISH NEW YORK program permanent, but legislative leaders never sent the bill to the Governor for signature!
