The Greater New Haven Coordinated Food Assistance Network (CFAN) sent out the following email press release Wednesday morning after Tuesday night’s budget vote by the Board of Alders. Click here and here to read about CFAN’s advocacy this budget cycle. CFAN Commends the City of New Haven’s Commitment of $350,000 to Fight Hunger New Haven, CT — May 27, 2026 — The Greater New Haven Coordinated Food Assistance Network (CFAN) applauds Mayor Justin Elicker and the New Haven Board of Alders for including $350,000 in funding to support community-based food assistance programs in the City Budget that was passed last night by the Board of Alders. The allocation, included in the City’s Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget, reflects a continued commitment to address hunger and food insecurity among New Haven residents. CFAN extends its gratitude to Mayor Justin Elicker and his administration for recommending this funding allocation as an amendment on May 12, and for recognizing the critical role that community-based food assistance organizations play in the lives of New Haven residents. CFAN also thanks the members of the Board of Alders Finance Committee — and in particular Committee Chair Adam Marchand and Co-Chair Sal Punzo — for their engagement during the budget process, and for listening compassionately during the two-dozen oral testimonies delivered at the April budget hearing by CFAN’s members and supporters.  The network likewise acknowledges the critical leadership of Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers, whose commitment to equity and community well-being has been evident throughout this process. Finally, CFAN expresses its deep appreciation to the full Board of Alders for adopting a budget that reflects the needs of New Haven residents experiencing hunger and food insecurity, and to the many CFAN members, partner organizations, and community supporters who provided public testimony, engaged their Alders, and demonstrated the breadth of grassroots commitment to a more just and equitable food system in our city. CFAN is a coalition of more than 40 food assistance programs, consumer advocacy groups, and partnering organizations working to create a unified system of food assistance that ensures equitable, dignified, and culturally appropriate access to nutritious food for all residents of Greater New Haven.  CFAN’s member organizations collectively serve thousands of New Haven residents each year, including many of the city’s most vulnerable individuals and families. Funding will support a range of community initiatives, including the purchase of healthy foods for local pantries and soup kitchens; equipment purchases to support the safe storage and distribution of food; school break grocery distributions for New Haven Public Schools students and families; SNAP outreach and navigation services to assist residents in accessing and maintaining federal food benefits; refrigeration infrastructure improvements at food assistance facilities; enhanced accessibility to programs via public transportation; and the deployment of community health workers at food pantries to provide outreach and basic needs triage. “The need across New Haven is very real.  I see it in my own community everyday.  We’re grateful to the City for stepping up to support people who are struggling.  And I’m encouraged to know that the voices of Witnesses are reaching our decision-makers.” — Kim Hart, Witnesses to Hunger; CFAN Steering Committee Co-Chair “This vital funding from the City of New Haven empowers pantries like Loaves Fishes to expand their reach, deepening their impact on local families and individuals facing food insecurity.” — Lorrice Grant, Executive Director, Loaves Fishes; CFAN Steering Committee Co-Chair For more information about CFAN, please see the CFAN impact report on recent activities, prepared by the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement. The Greater New Haven Coordinated Food Assistance Network (CFAN) is a coalition of organizations and community members across Greater New Haven working together to address hunger and improve access to nutritious food. CFAN’s work is integrally supported by staff at the United Way of Greater New Haven, as well as through the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE) at Southern Connecticut State University, with support from the CDC’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant. The post Advocates Celebrate $350K For Food Aid In City Budget appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less