POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – During this season of gratitude, Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino expresses her appreciation for the many collaborators who came together to support vulnerable County residents when the federal shutdown delayed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits earlier this month. Dutchess County Government stepped up to help provide immediate food resources to thousands of neighbors in need. That commitment continues as the County supports those impacted by the uncertainty surrounding the federal Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).
Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, “When the federal government’s inaction threatened to let our neighbors in need go hungry or cold, Dutchess County moved fast. With our community partners, county departments, and my fellow County elected officials, we worked together to plan and take action with unprecedented speed, making sure our neighbors could feed their families and heat their homes. I am so grateful to all who helped make it all happen.”
When November’s federal SNAP benefits were held up due to the shutdown, Dutchess County stepped in immediately, committing up to $1.5 million, working with Dutchess Outreach, Inc. to mobilize a countywide emergency food response with the weekly purchase of thousands of pounds of food locally sourced from area businesses and suppliers. Thousands of local families were provided fresh, nutritious food groceries at multiple emergency food distribution events organized by Dutchess Outreach and at food pantries throughout the county until SNAP benefits were restored.
The County’s quick, decisive action was made possible through the efforts of several key partners, including:
• Dutchess Outreach’s Executive Director Renee Fillette-Miccio, PhD, who leads the County’s Food Security Council, provided the necessary input on local need, informing the County’s determination to invest $150,000 a week for food distribution during the shutdown and worked with food pantries across Dutchess County.
Renee Fillette-Miccio, PhD, said, “I am thankful to County Executive Serino and our partners in Dutchess County Government for mobilizing the resources needed to provide steady, critical support for our food pantries. They listened to the realities on the ground and took swift, decisive action when thousands of families were at risk. This crisis also gave us the opportunity to demonstrate a more efficient and effective way to bring food to our neighbors — one that prioritizes local sourcing so we can support our local businesses at the same time. By purchasing from local farmers and suppliers, we moved fresh food quickly to those impacted by the federal government’s inaction on SNAP while reinvesting those dollars back into our community. It was smart, compassionate, and community-centered action, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who made it possible.”
• The Dutchess County Legislature, including Chairman Will Truitt and Minority Leader Yvette Valdés Smith, who worked in a bipartisan manner to swiftly authorize the financial commitment to fund this vital initiative with unanimous support.
Legislature Chairman Will Truitt said, “In times of crisis, government must act swiftly and decisively, and that’s exactly what we in Dutchess County did. I’m proud to have worked alongside County Executive Serino and my colleagues in the Legislature to ensure no Dutchess County resident was left without food or heat. This bipartisan effort is the latest embodiment of our shared commitment to protecting our most vulnerable neighbors when they need us most.”
Legislature Minority Leader Yvette Valdés Smith said, “Dutchess County’s immediate mobilization of food and heating resources when local families were hurting shows how much can be accomplished when people work together. The speed and efficiency of this effort is testament to the strong partnerships we have here in Dutchess County."
• The Office County Comptroller Dan Aymar-Blair, worked with the Department of Planning & Development and the County Attorney’s Office for an expedited contract and payment process that allowed for immediate payment of the weekly food purchases.
Comptroller Dan Aymar-Blair said, “The Comptroller’s Office was happy to be part of this collaborative effort. We took the necessary steps to be able to expedite the release of funds to pay for immediate food distribution, working together with the various county departments to help local families through a difficult time.”
The County is now using the authorized funding to assist those who have been impacted by the uncertainty surrounding HEAP, which has not yet opened for the winter heating season. The County has been providing emergency, one-time support for HEAP-eligible individuals who have no fuel or have had their home heating source shut off.
In addition to these efforts, the County also re-established the “Dutchess Responds” fund through Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley for residents and businesses who want to make monetary donations to assist neighbors in need with food resources and home heating assistance.
