Assembly Member Amanda Septimo joined Catholic Charities and anti-hunger advocates to announce new legislation aimed at tackling the hunger crisis.

Septimo secured $100,000 from the state to go toward a partnership between Catholic Charities and nonprofit Sharing Excess. The partnership called Surplus to Table will bring food that would otherwise go to waste directly to New Yorkers in need. Staff members at the Catholic Charities resource hub said they'll use some of the money to add an extra day to the food pantry, launch mobile distribution centers, and set up pop-up pantries. "This is what the smart, modern food policy looks like in the future. It's efficient, it's sustainable, it's cost effective, and it's grounded in the community and communities like this here in the Bronx," said Lisa Flores, the CEO of Catholic Charities community services. "This will also be able to strengthen the entire web and network of organizations that are providing food in a dignified way," said Evan Elhers, the founder and CEO of Sharing Excess. Assembly Member Septimo also introduced the New York State Food Rescue Tax credit, which incentivizes businesses to donate surplus food. "It cost money for businesses to be able to donate, and we want to remove that obstacle because we know that everything has gotten more expensive for everyone," said Septimo. Advocates say their next step is to focus on accessible food access and spreading information and resources.