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Gillibrand In Troy Fighting For SNAP Program

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was in Troy Friday, talking about the Trump administration’s proposed budget that would cut SNAP benefits by $193 billion dollars over a decade.

"This place is an amazing resource for Troy and I'm really impressed with all the work that's been accomplished already here. Everyone who comes here can see how important it is to have access to healthy, nutritious food,"  said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

Capital Roots Urban Grow Center's mission is to provide area residents access to quality, fresh food. Officials at the River Street center say SNAP-funded programs serve children and families in Troy and are vital to ensuring quality fresh food reaches local kitchen tables. Gillibrand, a Democrat, is sounding the alarm:  "Congress needs to act. 44 million Americans rely on SNAP. In our state, more than 3 million New Yorkers rely on SNAP every month. And here in Rensselaer County 12 percent of the entire population relies on SNAP."

Capital Roots CEO Amy Klein:    "Not only do these programs benefit families struggling to eat good food, but it also supports the thousand of farms, more than 4,500 in our region alone, who provide that food. Many people aren't even aware that the legislation authorizing SNAP is part of the Farm Bill. Capital Roots purchases more than 55 percent of our fruits and vegetables on a year-round basis (that even includes December) from local farms."

Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, vows to continue to fight in the Senate to protect SNAP funding for low-income families, and she is encouraging everyone in the Capital Region to join her...   "I urge you to tell your story. Post it on Instagram, post it on Facebook. Tweet about it. Just tell people why this matters so much to you, your family and your community. And most importantly, please contact your representative. You would be surprised how many members of Congress in this state do not support SNAP. It is outrageous to know that there are New Yorkers who stand in the way of families getting this kind of support."

Gillibrand adds the only way things ever in change in Washington is when "regular people stand up and demand it."

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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