(Nov. 6, 2026) – CDF-NY calls for $30 million state investment to support children and families across ten high-need communities.
Media Contact: Chantal Hinds, chinds@childrensdefense.org, CDF-NY Senior Policy Manager, 917-627-7189 (Schenectady Contact); Sofie Fashana, sfashana@childrensdefense.org, CDF-NY Senior Policy Associate, 971-353-9350 (Rochester Contact); John Henry, jhenry@childrensdefense.org, CDF Media Relations Manager, 708-646-7679
NEW YORK, NY—Next week, the youth advocacy organization Children’s Defense Fund-New York (CDF-NY) will hold town halls in Rochester and Schenectady to discuss the Child and Family Well-being Fund (CFWF) and its potential transformative impact on local communities.
The CFWF legislation will be reintroduced in the New York State legislature in 2027. It proposes a $30 million, five-year pilot program targeting ten communities with high rates of child poverty and child welfare involvement.
The legislation specifically targets neighborhoods in Binghamton, Buffalo, Rochester, Schenectady, and Syracuse and individual cities in New York City, including Brownsville, Crotona Park East, East Harlem, Longwood, and Mount Eden.
What: CFWF Town Hall – Rochester
Where: Holy Trinity Missionary Baptist Church | 397 North Street | Rochester, NY 14605
When: Tuesday, November 10 | 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. EST
CDF State Director Khin Mai Aung said the organization and its partners want to work alongside community members to understand their specific needs.
“We can’t do this advocacy without knowing and seeing the needs of local communities on the ground and partnering with local residents and leaders to understand how this legislation can benefit their communities,” Aung said.
What: CFWF Town Hall – Schenectady
Where: Mont Pleasant Branch Library | 1036 Crane St. | Schenectady, NY 12303
When: Saturday, November 14 | 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. EST
CDF and more than 100 organizations and individuals across the state have signed a budget letter urging New York Governor Kathy Hochul to include the legislation in her upcoming executive budget. According to CDF-NY Senior Policy Manager Chantal Hinds, the bill would also direct resources to trusted local nonprofits in Rochester and Schenectady subsequently allowing them to continue providing everything from youth-centered programming to housing, food, and clothing where needed.
“The Child and Family Well-being Fund is a critical, potentially critical resource for families and young people providing access to supports and services that may otherwise be underfunded or underinvested in their communities,” she said.
CDF-New York is holding the town halls in collaboration with the following partners: Black Child Development Institute – New York State, Child and Family Wellbeing Action Network, Families Together in New York State, Foster Youth Success Alliance, Hope585, JMAC for Families, Justice for Families, Narrowing the Front Door to NYC’s Child Welfare System Workgroup, NYC Family Policy Project, Prevent Child Abuse New York, RISE, Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, and United for Brownsville.