Community Board 10 is reaching out to organizations and the community to help ensure that no one in its service area goes hungry.
The board held the first of what will become regular food stamp outreach events where a representative from the Human Resources Administration’s Food Stamp and Nutrition Outreach program counseled community members on their eligibility for the program on Thursday, August 4.
CB 10 will now hold the registration drives every first and third Thursday of the month in the board office, located at 3165 E. Tremont Avenue, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The event highlighted the board’s commitment to fighting hunger and promoting good nutrition, and helped to process 14 applications on the first day, district manager Kenneth Kearns said.
“People should know that they are able to come to our office while HRA is here and receive one-on-one counseling regarding food stamps,” Kearns stated. The event streamlined the process of applying for food stamps, said Chris Mola of Pelham Bay.
“The specialist was able to discuss information on what kind of income is needed, and basic information on applying for food stamps like what kind of documentation that I would need,” Mola said. “If not for this outreach event, I would have had to travel to a different community and wait a few hours.”
Sometime in the near future, the representative from HRA should be able to help process claims, in addition to determining eligibility and making sure the paperwork is in order, via a computer hook-up from the district office.
An HRA program said that the ongoing effort at the CB 10 office is one of many in helping more people gain access to food stamp services.
“By streamlining the application process for working adults, improvements in technology, and continued outreach, the Food Stamp Program has seen an increase in participation to nearly 1.8 million New Yorkers,” said an HRA spokesman. “As part of the New York State food outreach plan, HRA attends senior centers, hospitals, libraries, and many community events to assist people who need food stamps, with their application process.”
