Part of the ongoing Politicians Making a Food Difference series
Name: Stephen Levin [D-NY]
Political title: New York City Council Member, 33rd District; Chair of the Committee on General Welfare, which has jurisdiction over New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services, Department of Homeless Services, Department of Social Services, Human Resources Administration, Office of Immigrant Affairs, as well as other charitable institutions that do business in the City.
Hometown: Plainfield, New Jersey
Educational Bio: Brown University, degree in Classics and Comparative Literature
What he cares about: Education, early childhood issues, cultural affairs, libraries and international intergroup relations, environmental protection, general welfare.
What he’s done: As chair of the Committee on General Welfare, is leading the city council members in urging the DeBlasio Administration to include $22 million in baselined food funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) in New York City’s 2018 Fiscal Year budget. Is also reviewing increasing, and decreasing barriers to, enrollment in the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as “food stamps”), as well as the status of food pantries and state hunger programs to gain a broader assessment of hunger in the city. Has previously sponsored resolutions calling for mandatory breakfast-in-the-classroom.
Recent food-related policies he’s supported: Breakfast-in-the-classroom, emergency food assistance funding, reduced fines for street food vendors over procedural violations.
Stephen Levin Official website: https://www.stephenlevin.nyc
City Council website: https://council.nyc.gov/district-33/
Emergency Food Assistance Program funding: https://www.stephenlevin.nyc/home/2017/5/4/entire-city-council-demands-22-million-in-baselined-funding-for-emergency-food
Breakfast in the Classroom: https://www.stephenlevin.nyc/legislation/