For Immediate Release: January 24, 2017
Contact: Stephanie Gendell, (646) 232-6721, sgendell@cccnewyork.org

 In response to Mayor de Blasio’s Preliminary Budget for City Fiscal Year 2018, Citizens’ Committee for Children released the following statement from Executive Director Jennifer March:

 “Despite the uncertainty of continued investments from the federal and state governments, we thank Mayor de Blasio for proposing critical investments for the children and families of New York City. Notably, the Preliminary Budget includes funding to create 10 new Beacon Community Centers, to maintain summer programs for over 22,00 middle school students this summer, to increase the number of crossing guards, to increase capital investments in schools to address overcrowding, and to improve the data system for special education students.

The Preliminary Budget also baselines an increased shelter re-estimate of $123 million, yet there are no new initiatives proposed to prevent homelessness, eliminate the use of hotels to shelter families, and/or help families secure permanent housing. In addition, the Preliminary Budget does not expand universal free lunch to elementary and high school students, does not maintain funding for social workers in schools with high rates of homeless children, and does not restore many City Council initiatives. CCC looks forward to working with the Administration and the City Council to adopt a City Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 that builds upon the strengths of the Preliminary Budget to go further for children and families.”

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 Citizens’ Committee for Children is an independent multi‐issue child advocacy organization whose mission is to ensure every New York City Child is healthy, housed, educated and safe. For more information on CCC, visit cccnewyork.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.