Human Services Council Launches New Campaign to Preserve Government Funding for Human Services Programs

NEW YORK, Feb. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Human Services Council of New York (HSC) today announced the launch of the grassroots advocacy campaign "Who Cares? I Do." campaign to mobilize state-wide support to protect human services programs from more deep New York State and City funding cuts.   The state budget, released on February 1, proposes cuts to child care programs, supportive housing, youth employment programs and preventive services for children, among many other programs and services. The release of the state budget marks the beginning of months-long budget negotiations within the state and city governments.

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"To close the steep state and city budget deficits, our government officials have to make some very difficult decisions," said Michael Stoller, Executive Director of HSC. "But compounding high unemployment and so much financial uncertainty with cuts to vital services that are a lifeline to thousands of people will be devastating, and policymakers need to make human services a higher priority."

The reductions could hurt people and the economy on many different levels:

• 800,000 New Yorkers are out of work.
• One of every seven have fallen below the poverty line.
• The sector is a significant employer and consumer of goods and services, so budget cuts mean more job losses and less spending in our local economy.
• Human services are cost-effective and provide a positive social and economic return on investment as they prevent more costly problems.

The campaign highlights the value of the services that nonprofits deliver every single day for thousands of people throughout the state, and what's at stake if the services that they or family members, friends and neighbors depend on disappear.

Christine Molnar, President and CEO of Safe Space, a Southeast Queens-based agency committed to securing a better future for all children and families, said, "Our sector is about investing in the future of our country: daycare, early intervention, afterschool programs. If excessive public debt burdens future generations, human service programs do just the opposite—they give people an advantage. I see this regularly at Safe Space. Vulnerable teens and their families turn to us when they have nowhere else to go for help."

Twenty-year-old Tiana is a perfect example.  She works at JFK International Airport while she attends Queensborough Community College, and her goal is to be an educator. But without Safe Space's youth employment program, Steps to Success, none of that would have been possible. In addition to learning job readiness skills, Tiana learned to deal with emotional conflicts through group therapy and one-on-one counseling. "When I started [at Safe Space] I had a bad attitude; now I'm ready to be a teacher," she said.

Intended to enlist the wide support of individuals, businesses, organizations and policymakers, the "Who Cares? I Do." campaign is an extension of HSC's ongoing advocacy for city and state government budget, policy, and legislative reforms. Among the numerous city and state human service agencies partnering with HSC are Children's Aid Society, Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy and New York State Community Action Association.  

Supporters can visit www.WhoCares-IDo.org to sign an online petition and take action in a variety of other ways. The web site provides a wealth of information on the proposed cuts and guidance on how to reach out to elected officials. Supporters can also follow the campaign on Twitter @WhoCares_IDo or on Facebook at Who Cares? I Do.

The Human Services Council of New York (HSC) is a passionate champion for human services and strengthens the sector's ability to serve New Yorkers in need. It proactively negotiates with State and City government for mutually beneficial, solutions-based budget, policy, and legislative reforms aimed at improving the lives of the people in communities served by the 200 agencies that make up HSC. HSC provides a unified voice for this diverse collective – it is the "voice of the human services community."

SOURCE Human Services Council of New York