Jenkins Call to Save Cuts to Needy Families

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins is calling on members of Westchester County’s federal delegation to take immediate action following a January 5 announcement by the Trump Administration’s U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that it would withhold funding for three essential programs in New York State: the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), and Social Services Block Grant (SSBG).

Westchester County relies on approximately $126 million in combined funding from these programs to support critical social services for residents across the County. The potential freeze threatens programs that help families access childcare, prevent evictions, secure housing after emergencies, and ensure children and families have access to food and basic necessities.”

Jenkins wrote: “This funding is used for a variety of extremely critical functions – and with the financial challenges Westchester County is already facing as a result of the policies of the Trump Administration, we have no way of backfilling any of these crucial programs if this funding is frozen.”

Funding from TANF, CCDF, and SSBG supports a wide range of essential services, including childcare assistance that allows parents to work, eviction prevention programs that help families stay housed, temporary financial assistance that promotes self-sufficiency, emergency shelters and transitional housing, and food assistance for low-income families with children.

Jenkins said, “Without this funding, families displaced by disasters will be left on the street. Thousands of Westchester residents could lose housing, go hungry, or be unable to work. That is unacceptable.”

Jenkins is urging the federal delegation to act swiftly to prevent the funding freeze and ensure Westchester County continues to receive the resources necessary to protect residents and maintain essential services.
Jenkins said, “This funding is not optional.”