CSCS: Council of Senior Centers and Services of NYC, Inc.

Action Alert

ACTION ALERT
MARCH 10, 2006

RESTORATIONS AND INCREASING FUNDING FOR FOOD
$4.5 MILLION NEEDED TO MEET INFLATIONARY COST OF FOOD

"PIZZA AND SODA" CAMPAIGN - 
YOU CAN'T GET A SLICE AND A SODA FOR $1.85!

Go to CSCS website to find - www.cscs-ny.org :

• CSCS testimony before the City Council Committee on Aging at its March 6th FY2007 Preliminary Budget hearing.
• "Revisiting Our Concerns - Is the Bronx MOW Pilot Project Working", UNH Issue Brief, February, 2006

There has been no per meal food cost increase for raw food costs from 1999-2006. Costs have increased by almost 19%. To meet inflationary costs, 35 cents per meal needs to be added:

Current amounts since 1999 -
$1.85 - congregate meals
$1.89 - meals-on-wheels

New amount needed to meet inflation -
$2.20 - congregate meals
$2.24 - meals-on-wheels

13 million meals per year x .35 = $4.5 million
For every 100 meals, budgets would increase $8,750 a year 
(100 meals x .35 cents x 250 days = $8,750)

ESTABLISH A BUILT IN TREND FACTOR FOR FOOD COSTS - 
A trend factor based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to meet inflation should be included in funding for the meal costs. A trend factor (or cost escalator) means that there would be automatic increased funding for the per meal rate each year based on the inflation rate. Based on the CPI annual inflation rate over the past seven years, a yearly trend factor would cost the city less than $1 million a year. This will ensure sufficient funding for quality meals for the elderly that meet required nutritional standards.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

The February 3rd CSCS Action Alert informed members of cuts:

$ 13.6 MILLION ELIMINATED - ALL THE FUNDING ALLOCATED BY CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN ELIMINATED:

• $ 4 million - new dedicated funding stream for operation costs of vans. Each agency operating vans has received $7800 per van.

• $ 1.5 million - NORC expansion

• $ 1 million - reinstatement of Safe Streets/Elderly Crime Victims program. Each agency received about 40% of their prior Safe Streets funding.

• $ 1 million - new geriatric mental health program (funds go to Department of Mental Health)

• $ 5.6 million - City Council discretionary funds. This included an increase of $50,000 per Councilmember for senior services in his/her district.

• $534,000 - Borough President funds cut - The BP funds had been "baselined" (funding in place for more than one year) by Mayor Bloomberg during the 2005 budget. However, DFTA has cut $427,000 this fiscal year and $534,000 for FY07 out of the $7.5 million total BP funding.

• $8 million - targeted reduction to meals-on-wheels - This would happen if DFTA took the Bronx meals-on-wheels program, "Senior Options" to other boroughs. It is unclear what the status of this is right now.

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WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Contact you Councilmember(s) about funding all the restorations.

• Calculate how much additional food money your program would get with a 35 cents per meal increase. Let senior participants know how much more money their senior center would get. Give this information to your Councilmember(s) and urge them to allocate $4.5 million to meet the cost of inflation of food costs. Tell them you can't get a slice of pizza and soda for $1.85!

For further information, please contact Bobbie Sackman, (212) 398-6565, x226 or bsackman@cscs-ny.org

CSCS - ADVOCATING FOR YOU EVERY DAY!