9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi

Some SSI Recipients Recieve Food Stamps Automatically

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The New York State Office ofTemporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) implemented a demonstration projectcalled the New York State Nutrition Improvement Project (NYSNIP) late in2003.  This project continues today with the goal of automaticallyenrolling all of New York State’s SSI (Supplemental Security Income) live-alonerecipients into the Food Stamp Program.  For this population, no separatefood stamp application, no interview and no separate verification is needed;OTDA relies on information provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA)through the State Data Exchange in order to generate a food stamp case.  NYSNIP participants use their existingMedicaid benefit card to access their food stamp benefits.  Benefit amounts are standardized, andparticipants can receive food stamps through NYSNIP for as long as 48 months.
Click here for  Hunger Solutions New York NYSNIP article and resources, including:
  • NYSNIP Benefit Matrix (adjusted May 1, 2012),
  • NYSNIP Forms (updated in November 2011) in English and Spanish,
  • NYSNIP Frequently Asked Questions from OTDA in English and Spanish, 
  • NYSNIP Desk Guide, 
  • OTDA Policy Memo's concerning NYSNIP, and
  • Contact Information for help with NYSNIP questions in your community.

Governor Cuomo Kicks Off Farmers' Market Season and Encourages New Yorkers to Take Advantage of FreshConnect Projects Across the State

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New Website For New Yorkers to Find a FreshConnect Market and Learn More About Resources to Access Fresh, Healthy Farm Produce

June 27, 2012 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today officially kicked off New York State's farmers' market season, and encouraged New Yorkers to take advantage of the many projects and markets supported through the FreshConnect Program across the state. To assist New Yorkers in locating a FreshConnect market, the Governor announced the launch of http://freshconnect.ny.gov, a new website that allows New Yorkers to learn more about FreshConnect projects in their area.
  
Governor Cuomo awarded grants this spring to support creative, local solutions around the state to improve access to fresh, locally produced food by low-income or underserved communities. As a result, 34 projects at over 50 locations statewide will provide improved access to New York farm products. A wide variety of supported programs -- including subsidized CSA farm shares, increased ability to use Food Stamp/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits at farmers markets, free transportation to markets, and new local food donation programs -- all make New York farm products more accessible to all New Yorkers. For more information on FreshConnect projects and to locate a site near you, visit http://freshconnect.ny.gov.
 
To further assist FreshConnect farmers' markets across the state, the State will be providing FreshConnect Checks, a nutrition incentive for Food Stamp/SNAP recipients to use their benefits at FreshConnect markets. The checks are $2 coupons issued for every $5 of Food Stamp/SNAP benefits used at the market for the purchase of Food Stamp/SNAP eligible foods including fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products and meat. FreshConnect Checks will be made available at the beginning of July at FreshConnect farmers' markets throughout the State.

For full press release...

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND SPEAKER QUINN ANNOUNCE THAT, FOR FIRST TIME EVER, ALL OF CITY'S FARMERS MARKETS WILL MAKE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES MORE AFFORDABLE FOR LOW-INCOME NEW YORKERS

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138 Farmers MarketsThroughout Five Boroughs Will Accept Health Bucks, Which Give Food StampParticipants Extra $2 Toward Fruits and Vegetables For Every $5 Spent 
 
Click here to view thepress release.

Mayor Michael R.Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Deputy Mayor for Health andHuman Services Linda I. Gibbs, Health Commissioner Thomas A. Farley and HumanResources Administration Commissioner Robert Doar announced today that, as partof the city-wide effort to fight the obesity epidemic, the City is increasingefforts to improve access to healthy eating. 
 
To support the healthy food purchasing power of food-stamp participants, theHealth Department and Human Resources Administration this year has more thandoubled farmers markets participating in the Health Bucks program. Health Bucksare $2 coupons good for fresh produce at farmers markets. This year, all 138markets (up from last year’s 65) will accept Health Bucks and the 125 of thosemarkets that accept Food stamps/ EBT will also distribute the coupons asincentives. For each $5 of food stamps that a customer spends at farmers’markets, they will receive one Health Buck coupon worth $2 for fresh fruits andvegetables at any farmers market. (Additional coupons at 18 of these marketsare also being made available through the New York State Fresh Connect Programand Wholesome Wave foundation funding.) The program, which is the largestmunicipal farmers market incentive program in the country, runs from July 1through November 15.
 
A limited supply of coupons will also be available through community organizationslocated in Health Department District Public Health Office neighborhoods in theSouth Bronx, North and Central Brooklyn, and East and Central Harlem. Theseorganizations service neighborhoods that have high rates of poverty and chronicillness, as well as low consumption rates for fresh fruits and vegetables.Organizations in these neighborhoods may apply to distribute Health Bucks aspart of their nutrition programming.
  
Additionally, Stellar Farmers Markets, a nutrition education program atfarmers markets that provides Food stamp eligible New Yorkers with theknowledge, skills and resources for a healthier diet, will be at 18 marketsthis year. The program offers practical, cost-effective tips for eating morefruits and vegetables through onsite nutrition education and cookingdemonstrations using produce purchased that day at the market, and last yearreached more than 37,000 people. Each market day, Stellar Farmers Markets holds5 nutrition workshops and cooking demonstrations and provides a $2 Health Buckscoupon for all participants.