Meng, AOC work to address sudden cuts in federal
funding for food pantries
BY DOUG CLAFFEY
ENERGAGE
Communication and collaboration are more important
than ever. Many of us are now working from
home, using technology in new ways. How can you promote
and strengthen cross-departmental collaboration
among a dispersed workforce? Draw on these six ideas
from Energage research:
Recreate collaboration using tools and technology:
For folks who are accustomed to working together
face to face, collaboration includes both verbal and nonverbal
body language. The ability to duplicate as much
of that as possible using tools like Zoom and GoToMeeting
is really important to team collaboration.
Be intentional about interdepartmental collaboration:
Because you can no longer rely on impromptu
gatherings, establish more formal connections between
departments. Be intentional about it. These liaisons
will help ensure, for example, that product development
is working with customer success or sales. At a
senior leader level, ensuring this level of collaboration
is occurring is even more important in a remote work
environment.
Show appreciation through communication
and collaboration: Thank people and acknowledge
them for their contributions. Demonstrate gratitude
in informal ways. Show appreciation for their work as
well as for the stress and difficult challenges employees
are facing.
Apply company values in decision-making:
Values show up most powerfully in how they influence
TIMESLEDGER | 22 QNS.COM | OCT. 2-OCT. 8, 2020
decision-making. This is especially true when an organization
is under stress, as many are right now. The
extent to which values are part of the conversation and
the degree to which employees refer to your company
values are essential behaviors. It’s about getting out
there and being explicit about your company values.
Bring them into decision-making through discussion
and collaboration. Reinforce them.
Ensure employees are clued-in to critical decisions:
Remember: communicate, communicate, communicate!
Make sure information is getting out to employees
frequently and through multiple channels. Use
video chats, regular email correspondence and team
conferences. Employees want to feel clued-in – but they
also don’t want to be overwhelmed. Use bite-sized communications
more frequently, rather than fewer, more
comprehensive updates. Be sure communications are
confident but not overly confident. Be candid around
those topics, and share what you know.
Encourage social interaction among employees:
You may have employees who are alone without
the opportunity to socialize. The inability to interact
with others is a problem for everyone. For people with
mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety,
isolation can add extra stress. Check in with people
on topics outside of work. Zoom happy hours, interest
groups or virtual breakout rooms are some examples.
In other words, find creative and engaging ways for
people to socialize.
Doug Claffey is founder of Energage, a Philadelphiabased
research and consulting firm that surveyed more
than 2 million employees at more than 7,000 organizations
in 2019. Nominate your company as a Top Workplace at
amny.com/nominate.
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
Following news that the Department
of Agriculture (USDA) canceled the
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
(CFAP) in Queens and the Bronx, leaving
food pantries without needed funding to
help thousands of vulnerable families,
Queens Congresswomen Grace Meng
and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said they
are working to assist those organizations.
The $19 billion CFAP began in April
to provide immediate relief and critical
support to the nation’s farmers as well as
ensure Americans receive access to the
food they need during the height of the
COVID-19 pandemic, which came with
overflowing hospitals and mass job loss.
This month, the Trump administration
and the USDA announced a second
round of the CFAP, amounting to $14 billion
.However, La Jornada, a non-profit
organization that has served more than
125,000 families in some of the hardest
hit neighborhoods in the borough during
the COVID-19 pandemic, received notice
from the USDA that it has canceled their
CFAP program and will no longer receive
the federal grants they need to continue
feeding at-risk families in Queens.
Pedro Rodriguez, La Jornada’s executive
director, began a petition in order to
get the funding back.
“We are asking for your help to save
our food pantry, so that we can continue
to provide food to families in the northwest,
Queens area,” the petition reads.
“We do not want to stop helping the family
in need during this trying time. A signature
and a phone call is all is takes to
make a difference.”
La Jornada worked with grassroots
organization Together We Can to establish
a food pantry with the Queens
Museum in order to supply community
members in Corona — one of the Queens
neighborhoods hardest hit by the pandemic
— with food and other basic
needs.
A third of New York City’s food pantries
closed in April, according to the de
Blasio administration. Acting Queens
Borough President Sharon Lee said interruption
to La Jornada and other food
pantries work would have damaging results.
“Food insecurity and hunger from
the COVID-19 pandemic remain a very
real and deep challenge for many in the
Borough of Families,” said Lee. “Any
interruption in food supply for Queens
pantries in the middle of this pandemic
would be a substantial blow to the growing
lines of elders and families with children
who rely on these pantries for food.
Time is of the essence.”
Meng and Ocasio-Cortez said they
are in contact with the USDA about the
problem with area pantries and food assistance
organizations.
“I have worked closely with La Jornada
and many other local food assistance
organizations and food pantries, and I’ve
seen firsthand the critical assistance
that they provide to Queens residents,”
said Meng. “I am deeply concerned
about impacts on their funding and we
are looking into whether their contracts
with vendors are ending, and whether
they have been provided with information
on how to renew them. Not having
access to these funds would have a devastating
impact on so many in our borough
who depend on the services that La
Jornada and others provide, particularly
during the COVID-19 crisis.”
Meng added that she worked to ensure
Farmers to Families program would assist
those who are experiencing food insecurity
as a result of the pandemic, and
will continue to do so.
Ocasio-Cortez said she is working
with Meng and the USDA to remedy the
situation and pointed to a House bill to address
food insecurity in their districts.
“La Jornada and other area food pantries
have been invaluable resources to
our districts during this time — but of
course we should not be in a situation
that so heavily relies on non-profits to
provide a lifeline for so many in our
community,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “The
House has passed a bill that would provide
financial and nutritional relief to so
many in our district facing hunger and
economic challenges due to COVID-19.
The Republican Senate’s refusal to allow
a vote on these measures is appalling.”
Remote workers depend on collaboration
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