Community Voices Heard

CVH Members Meet With Commissioner David Hansell

Submitted by dominique on Wed, 2008-09-17 13:08.

CVH members from all four chapters across the state met with Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner David Hansell on Thursday September 11th in Yonkers. Members shared there stories with Commissioner Hansell. Some of the topics of discussion at this meeting were Career Pathways and Transistional Job programs.

Members asked talked about the need to Raise the Welfare Grant and to reform the Sanctioning process as well as improvements that could be made with Transitional Benefits. 

Attachment	Size
CVH Draft Agenda.doc	81 KB
Brenda Beal Testimony.doc	28 KB
denise tesimony sept 11-1.doc	26 KB
Harold Gardner testimony - revised.doc	29.5 KB
Johanssis Peralta Long Version.doc	28 KB
Jonathan Sawyer Testimony.doc	28 KB
Ketny Jean-Francois Testimony.doc	26.5 KB
Korrenthea Catts Testimony.doc	31 KB
Sandra Killet testimony.doc	28 KB

Town Hall Meeting Hears Poverty-Fighting Demands

Submitted by jenny on Thu, 2008-07-24 17:31.

On July 24th in Newburgh, CVH members from three different chapters came together to tell OTDA Commissioner David Hansell and other State Officials what they need for economic security. Governor Paterson's Economic Security Cabinet held a series of Town Hall meetings around the state to hear poverty-fighting recommendations. CVH members Korrenthea Catts from Poughkeepsie, Johannsis Peralta from Beacon (Dutchess County), and Alya Russell from Yonkers testified about their experiences with Social Services and gave recommendations to the Cabinet members present.

Korrenthea Catts spoke about the need for sanction reform, after her 12 year old daughter's public assistance was cut off for forgetting a form. Johannsis Peralta testified about being a public assistance recipient who can't get access to good training programs or job opportunities, and spoke about the need for statewide transitional jobs and Career Pathways program. Alya Russell, a young mother who was told she would be cut off from public assistance if she attends school full-time, spoke about the need for better access to education.

Korrenthea, Johannsis, and Alya were all mentioned or quoted in the local papers' coverage, which you can read here:

Korrenthea Catts and Alya Russell in the Mid Hudson News article

Johannsis Peralta in the Poughkeepsie Journal article

The CVH members were among the only low income residents to speak at the meeting. Now they are just waiting to hear which of their recommendations make it into the Governor's plans for New York State!