Highlighting the struggles of the region

This info was shared by Martha Robertson, Tompkins County Legislator, Town of Dryden (western half). She relates that while other communities are being hit harder, Tompkins County is being impacted. As she relates:

"On Wednesday of this week, those of us who attended the Homeless & Housing Task Force meeting described below heard reports from a long list of the "safety net" agencies. These included the Tompkins County Office for the Aging, Food Bank of the Southern Tier, the Red Cross, Tompkins Community Action and many others. Just a few "lowlights" --

• There have been spikes in the number of guests going to Loaves and Fishes for meals and advocacy.
• TCA is getting at least 50-75 calls a day for heating assistance. They had to change their food pantry hours to accommodate people trying to get there on their lunch hour. In other words, working people are seeing their hours cut so they can't feed their families on their wages anymore.
• Catholic Charities has given security deposits to 70 families in the last four months; the remaining money has to last eight months, until the new IURA funds kick in, next October 1. However, they only have enough money to serve another 28 families.
• Workforce NY is seeing about 560 people a month coming in looking for work; many more senior citizens are coming in looking for a job.

The real families behind these numbers are struggling. The nonprofits are fighting to preserve services in the face of state budget cuts. The need is exploding and the resources are shrinking."

This info clearly shows the growing needs and some of the many challenges the nonprofit sector is confronting. The Southern Tier ED Group will continue to post regional information here, and invites other EDs to share their stories.