WHAT:
Events across New York will bring together elected officials, persons with developmental disabilities, their families and the many New York City-based non-profits that support to urge Gov. Cuomo and state lawmakers fund a living wage for direct care workers.
In Rochester, families and others will hold a rally.
In New York City, Borough Councils will hold their annual legislative breakfasts and rallies
WHEN:
TOMORROW, FRIDAY, March 8, at the following locations and times:
Bronx: Maestro’s, 1703 Bronxdale Ave, Bronx, 8-10 am.
Brooklyn: Gargiulo’s Restaurant, 2911 W. 15th St., Coney Island. 9:30 am-12:30 pm
Manhattan: Barnes and Noble Union Square, 33 East 17th Street. 8-10am
Queens: Queens College Student Union 4th Fl. ballroom 65-35 Kissena Blvd. 8:30-11
Rochester: Pieters Family Life Center, 1025 Common Way. 11:30 am
WHY:
Non-profits that support persons with developmental disabilities are seeking the next phase of a six-year ramp up to get direct care workers to a living wage. In 2017, Gov. Cuomo and the Legislature funded the first two phases. But Gov. Cuomo failed to include any funding in the new budget. We want him to restore the funding so direct care workers can get to a living wage, which is approximately $15.50/hour upstate and roughly $17.80/hour in New York City.
Due to a lack of state funding, non-profits in this field are losing workers to fast food and big-box stores that can pay better, and people with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities are paying the price.
Direct care workers are 73 percent women and 55 percent black or Latino.
Non-profits took over primary responsibility for this work, at the state’s behest, after the Willowbrook scandal of the 1970s, where residents were living in inhumane conditions in a
About #bFair2DirectCare
#bFair2DirectCare gives voice to the more than 130,000 New Yorkers with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and who often cannot speak for themselves. #bFair2DirectCare is also the call to action to remind state leaders that direct care non-profit agency workers are agents of the state who need a living wage that is commensurate with their vital support responsibilities.
#bFair2DirectCare members include
Alliance of Long Island Agencies (ALIA)
Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State (CP of NYS)
The Developmental Disability Alliance of Western New York (DDAWNY)
Direct Support Professional Alliance of New York State (DSPANYS)
The InterAgency Council of Developmental Disabilities Agencies (IAC)
The New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation
New York Association of Emerging & Multicultural Providers
The Arc New York
National Association of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP)
Self-Advocacy Association of New York State (SANYS)
Statewide Advocacy Network of New York State (SWAN)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BFair2DirectCare
Twitter: @Fair2DirectCare
Hashtag: #bFair2DirectCare
Website: www.bfair2directcare.com
“It is always a risk to speak to the press: they are likely to report what you say.”
~ Hubert H. Humphrey