On April 17, 2019, NYC Veterans Alliance co-sponsored a Town Hall with National Nurses United, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Vietnam Veterans of America, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Help Is On the Way, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 23, and Veterans for Peace Chapter 34. The discussion was centered on the quality of care received by veterans in the Bronx, and ways the VA should responsibly implement the MISSION Act, scheduled to go into effect on June 6, 2019.

UPDATE: On April 12, 2019, the ban on transgender members of the military has been reinstated, reversing the 2016 policy permitting servicemembers to serve openly, regardless of their gender identity. Openly transgender servicemembers face bars to reenlistment, promotions, job assignments, and potentially discharge. New recruits who are openly transgender are barred from enlistment or commissioning in the military. This impacts an estimated 13,000-15,000 currently serving troops, and the families who rely on them. It further sends the message to veterans and their families that the service and sacrifices of transgender veterans and their families is unrecognized and unappreciated. NYC Veterans Alliance renews its commitment to ALL those who have served our nation in uniform in opposing this ban and advocating to ensure all who serve receive the honor, recognition, services, and benefits they have rightfully earned. 

3/31/19 UPDATE: Thanks to you taking action these last few days, today the New York State legislature put forward an appropriations bill that FULLY FUNDS the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Services Peer-to-Peer program, avoiding deep cuts that seemed imminent only hours ago. This means veterans at risk for suicide in counties across New York State will continue to benefit from the support of peer mentors and their community. We further urge state legislators to continue investing in and expanding this young, successful program in the months and years to come.

Special thanks to each and every one of our community members who reached out to Governor Cuomo and NYS legislators--and thanks also to backup from our community partners at Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America who had our backs on this! We are also grateful for the legislators and advocates across the state who spoke up to protect this vital program, including NYC-based Assembly Members Felix Ortiz and Nicole Malliotakis. 

On Thursday, March 14, 2019, we presented testimony before the NYC Council's Committee on Veterans regarding oversight of the Fiscal Year 2020 budget for the NYC Department of Veterans' Services. Our testimony featured opposition to Mayor de Blasio's proposal to cut $63k from the budget, as well as concerns about staffing, accountability, and support from the Council. 

Below is the testimony presented:

On February 27, 2019, Director of Policy and Legislative Advocacy Sam Molik testified before the NYC Council's Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities & Addiction in an oversight hearing on the first three years of the ThriveNYC program addressing mental health for New Yorkers:

On February 26th, 2019, Samuel Molik, Director of Policy and Legislative Advocacy, testified before the NYC Council's Joint Committees on Veterans and Mental Health, Disabilities & Addiction in an oversight hearing on veteran suicide and mental health:

On Tuesday, February 26th, 2019, New York City will elect the next Public Advocate. The office of Public Advocate is one of three citywide elected officials, and is the first in line to succeed the Mayor. It is the role of the Public Advocate to champion the public and ensure government is responsive to its needs. In recent years, the office has included a veterans’ liaison and taken on key roles and legislation to improve the lives of NYC veterans and families.

The NYC Veterans Alliance presents this Voter Guide for informational purposes to our community. We contacted candidates eligible to stand in the Special Election scheduled for February 26, 2019, and solicited their responses on key questions of concern to our membership. This Guide makes no endorsement; candidates are listed in the order in which they responded.

View this Voter Guide as a PDF by clicking HERE.

If you serve in four branches of our nation's uniformed services--the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Air Force--you are receiving pay during the current federal shutdown. But if you're serving in uniform in the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Public Health Service, and NOAA to defend New York Harbor and other areas of our nation and national interests across the globe--you aren't receiving pay during the shutdown. In NYC especially, that's a severe hardship for you and your family. Our defenders shouldn't be forced to suffer because of political turmoil in Washington, DC.

Last Monday, we called on on Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and the NYC Congressional delegation to immediately pass legislation to pay all of our nation's uniformed service members, to include those who defend our own city and our harbor.

At our Holiday Mixer on December 17, 2018, we honored Congressman Dan Donovan as our 2018 Champion Advocate. As Representative of New York's 11th Congressional District, Congressman Donovan has held regular roundtables with veterans of his district and has also been quick to respond when veterans have raised concerns about the NY VA Harbor Healthcare System's Brooklyn Campus located in his district. 

At our Holiday Mixer on December 17, 2018, we honored Craigslist founder and philanthropist Craig Newmark as our 2018 Champion Sustainer. This year, Craig renewed his support for the NYC Veterans Alliance with a landmark sustaining gift of $150,000, which has made a profound impact as we grow into our fourth year of connecting our community and advancing veterans and families as civic leaders in NYC and beyond.