Good afternoon.

Welcome to today's New York City Council hearing for the Committee on Children and Youth.

At this time, please silence all phones and electronic devices.

If you wish to speak in today's hearing, please fill out an appearance card with one of the sergeants.

Moving forward, no one is to approach the day as chair.

You may begin.

Good afternoon and welcome to today's hearing on children and youth on the children and youth committee.

I'm Councilmember Althea Stevens, chair of the committee.

Thank you for joining us here today.

Where this committee will be evaluating DYCD's beacons and cornerstone program.

In addition to the oversight topic, we'll be also hearing the following resolutions.

Rezo 32, sponsored by Councilmember Banks, setting aside a portion of state revenue from state betting to support youth sports programs, upgrade community sports infrastructure, and expand access to recreational activities for young people.

Rezo 142, sponsored by Councilman Riley, calling for the establishment of the Center for Fatherhood Initiative under the Office of Children and Family Services.

Rezo 161, Deputy Speaker Williams calling for the establishment of baby bomb pilot program for foster youth.

Rezo 217, sponsored by Councilmember Hudson, calling for the regulation of false or misleading advertisement related to food products to be protected to protect children.

Reso 276, sponsored by Deputy Williams Speaker, which will create a targeted meaningful test guarantee income program for low-income individuals, young adults, and foster youth.

Reso 277 by Deputy Speaker Williams calling for the creation of a federally funded savings account for every child and RESO 278, also sponsored by Deputy Speaker Williams, calling for the management of funds and eligible child care bank accounts by the state controller.

Those are all the results we're hearing.

So now we'll actually get to what we're really here for.

For decades, Beacon and Cornerstone centers have served as trusted neighborhood institutions.

They provide young people and adults with safe spaces to learn, build relationships, develop skills, access support services, and engage with their communities.

Could I have some tissue?

Thank you.

Today there are 92 beacon programs and a hundred cornerstones programs operating throughout the city that serves tens of thousands of New Yorkers each year.

This number reflects a significant demand for accessible community-based programming and critical roles that those centers play.

Critical role that those centers play.

Those programs are particularly important at a time when many young people continue to reflect significant challenges as young people are experiencing extraordinary high rates of loneliness, anxiety, and social isolation.

Research consistently demonstrates that participation in structural community-based programs improve educational outcomes, strengthening social connections, support mental health, and promotes positive youth development.

At the same time, today's hearing provides an opportunity to assess whether our investments have kept the pace with the expectations we place on these programs.

The last comprehensive beacon procurement was issued in 2017 and the last cornerstone procurement was issued in 2015.

Since then, providers have continued to deliver services through contract renewals and extension, but providers have consistently raised concerns regarding funding levels, staffing challenges, security costs, and conditions of the facilities.

Many providers report that they are absorbing substantial costs beyond their contract awards to continue operating these vital programs.

As we look at the future, it is important that we evaluate whether providers have the resources necessary to meet the needs of the communities they serve.

We look forward to discussing DYCD's plan for future procurement, potential programming, expansion, and opportunities to strengthen community-based programs citywide.

Their testimony and testimony from community members will help inform how city can continue to support these critical community institutions.

Before we begin, I would like to thank committee staff, including senior and senior policy analyst, Elizabeth Arts, our senior committee counsel, um Rio.

Agasso Wall, for their hard work in preparing for this hearing, as well as my wonderful staff back at District 16.

I will now turn it over to committee council to swear in the administration.

Oh, I have another statement, have to read.

It's very long.

This is from Dr.

Natasha Williams.

Council Member.

Sorry, Tash Williams.

Committee on Children and Youth Hearing.

Statement on Reso 161 276, 277-278.

Wealthy inequalities have often been described as one of the defining process issues of our time.

However, while the wealth gap in our country and our city has reached alarming levels, we know those disproportionate are the result of deep rooted historical and systematic discrimination against some of the most marginalized community, particularly black and brown New Yorkers.

Still today, the medium household net worth for black families and 14 times lower than that of white families in New York.

This reality again is underscore by state, city, state, and federal government have long known.

And at a time failed failed equative at a time has failed to adequately address those who've been historically disadvantaged, have also been systematically denied meaningful opportunities to build financial security for themselves and future generations.

Despite long-standing barriers that continue to particularly um circle the cycle of poverty, lawmakers are every at every level of government introduced legislation aimed to narrowing the wealth gap.

One proposal that has gained significant attention is this creation of a so-called baby bond program.

Those programs establish government funded and manage savings accounts for newborns, helping create long-term financial assets that can be assessed in adulthood, accessed in adulthood.

Sponsored by assembly member Khalil Anderson, which would establish a baby bond pilot program for foster youth who disproportionately face financial instability in adulthood.

Also known as the American Opportunity Account Act, sponsored by Senator Cory Booker and Congresswoman Presley.

Reso 278 will call on New York State to pass Senate Bill S4564 and Assembly Bill A 6059 introduced by Senator Jamal Bailey and Assemblymember Michael Benedetto.

These bill will require the state to deposit a thousand dollars allocation into account managed by the controller.

Additionally, Resolution 278 will call on Congress to pass legislation creating a meaningful tease, tested guaranteed income program for low-income individuals, young adults, and foster care youth.

Research also shows that even small amounts of savings could have made your long-term impacts, including reducing the future state loan debt, lowering chronic financial stress, and increasing household wealth, with particularly um significant gains for black and Latino families.