Wynne Perry-Asami testifies for Goddard Riverside
Wynne Perry-Asami of Goddard Riverside, serving 22,000 New Yorkers, shares a story of a 71-year-old actress who lost income during the pandemic, fell into arrears, and was helped over five years to enroll in SCRIE, allowing her to remain in her home, and urges passage of Intros 978, 1010, and 307 with increased outreach funding.
Thank you, chairs, central and councilmatic staff, and the New York City Council for this important hearing.
My name is Wynne Perry-Asami, and I'm the Director of External Affairs at Goddard Riverside, a settlement house and social services agency serving over 22,000 New Yorkers.
A year.
One story from our Resource Center Director, Natalie Pierre-Lewis.
An older New Yorker worked as an actress while supplementing her income through dog walking.
When the pandemic shut down performances and dramatically reduced demand for other services, her income disappeared overnight.
She quickly fell behind on rent, accumulated significant arrears, and struggled through years of uncertainty.
When she came to our program, she was not facing just one challenge, but a housing benefits and stability crisis.
We worked with her for five years to navigate multiple challenges, including ultimately helping her enroll in SCRI.
A, now 71, was able to remain in her home, regain a sense of security, reconnect with her community, and focus on rebuilding her home because she had that stability and that support that these programs provide.
Programs like SCRI and DRI, as well as its homeowner siblings, are what make New York strong.
Intros 978, 1010, and 307, sponsored by Council Members Lewis and Marte, respectively, would expand SCRI, DRI, SHE, GD,
eligibility, and streamline application and recertification processes, and we support swift passage and implementation.
We support swift passage and implementation.
We also urge, and thank you, Chair Lee, for emphasizing the importance of outreach.
We also urge the city to increase funding investment in outreach, enrollment assistance, and intensive case management services to support New Yorkers in need and help ensure providers and the city can continue to partner so that all of us
Our neighbors have trusted experience, navigation support to actually access and use these programs.
Thank you for your time.
We'll submit full testimony.