ALBANY – The top administrator at Southwestern Central School has been appointed to a statewide agency aimed at fighting hunger.
On Monday Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the creation of the New York State Anti-Hunger Task Force, which will bring together experts, advocates and state and local officials to develop and implement action-focused recommendations to combat hunger and improve access to locally grown and produced fresh foods.
The Anti-Hunger Task Force will be chaired by Margarette Purvis, President & CEO of the Food Bank of New York City, and will include experts in hunger and nutrition, anti-hunger advocates, service providers, representatives of the agriculture industry, local government and education officials, representatives of the non-profit and private sectors, and members of the Governor’s Cabinet.
Among those appointed to the task force is Southwestern Superintendent Maureen Donahue. She will join 21 others from across the state in working on the task force.
The Anti-Hunger Task Force will develop strategies to:
- Maximize resources to fight hunger in New York State by increasing participation in federally funded programs like SNAP, school breakfast and school lunch;
- Use public/private partnerships to increase outreach and leverage the power of government, businesses and the non-profit sectors working together; and
- Improve access to quality, healthy food through the use of New York farm products and locally produced goods to combat hunger while creating jobs and supporting economic development.
According to the governor’s office, nearly 14% of New York households struggle with hunger, and at least 1 million New York children live in households that do not have regular and consistent access to food. Yet nearly 1 in 4 New Yorkers who are eligible for food stamps do not receive them.
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