Assemblywoman Russell says strategic partnerships are crucial to provide New Yorkers reliable access to healthy food

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, left, addressed members of the state Faith and Hunger Network Saturday.

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, chair of the Assembly Task Force on Food, Farm, and Nutrition Policy, spoke at a forum with the state Faith and Hunger Network Saturday, and said she wants to work on practical solutions to the problems many New Yorkers who are unable to have affordable access to locally sourced, healthy food struggle with.

"I'm looking at ways to leverage and utilize existing systems and resources, like the network of food banks, so we can connect more people and schools with the state's farming community in an efficient manner," Russell said.



Russell touted a $250,000 investment in state-wide farm-to-school initiatives included in the 2015-2016 state budget and said she looks forward to finding ways to reduce hunger while growing the state’s agricultural sector.

Pictured from left to right are state Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball, Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, US Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, and New York State Hunger Action Network Executive Director Susan Zimet.

During the panel discussion which sought to highlight anti-hunger efforts across the state, Russell was joined by state Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball, US Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, and New York State Hunger Action Network Executive Director Susan Zimet. State Sen. Neil D. Breslin, D-Delmar, moderated the event.

Tonko said roughly one out of every seven children in New York is impacted in some way by hunger. “Our democracy needs work and it needs all of us to roll up our sleeves and be loud,” he said. “How can a country that is so rich allow so many to go hungry?”