12:00: New York State sued for E.I. failures
1:00: SNAP cuts loom for millions
New York State is being sued for failing to fully support early intervention services for children. The lawsuit is new, but the issue is not. A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers has been saying for years that the state is falling short in this area. We talk about what the lawsuit might accomplish, and how many kids are being affected. Our guests:
- Brigit Hurley, chief program officer at The Children's Agenda
- Rachel Bonsignore, director of Liftoff WNY
- Zareen Kamal, policy specialist at Start Early Illinois
Then in our second hour, “The well has run dry,” says the USDA. If the government shutdown continues into November 1, some 42 million Americans who rely on SNAP will not receive their benefits. As reported by WXXI's Jeremy Moule, that number includes more than 104,000 people in Monroe County. This hour, we discuss the future of food assistance payments — from possible short-term relief, to new work requirements, and more. In studio:
- Julia Tedesco, president and CEO of Foodlink
- Mitch Gruber, senior vice president and chief impact officer at Foodlink, and member of Rochester City Council
- Debbie Evans, founder, president, and executive director of the Irondequoit Community Cupboard
"Connections with Evan Dawson" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
