Speaker Carl Heastie and Assemblymember Didi Barrett visited Dutchess Community College (DCC) to observe the college’s efforts to address student housing and food insecurity. The visit highlighted programs that provide support for students, including those with families.
“I was proud to see that DCC goes above and beyond to ensure that no student, especially those with families, goes without the support they need to succeed in and outside of the classroom,” said Speaker Heastie. “The prolonged commitment Assemblymember Barrett has shown to DCC reduce many of the barriers students face when it comes to some of their most essential needs, such as access to healthy foods, personal care items, and safe, reliable housing.”
Assemblymember Barrett emphasized the value of these services for local communities. “It was an honor to join Speaker Heastie today to see the important work DCC continues to do for the student community through the DCC CARES program,” said Assemblymember Barrett. “Investing in DCC is an investment in the future of Hudson Valley communities, and I will remain committed to supporting the services that DCC provides to students so that they can focus on accomplishing their goals and becoming the leaders of tomorrow.”
During their visit, Heastie and Barrett were joined by Dr. Peter Jordan, president of DCC; Rebecca Edwards, Poughkeepsie town supervisor; Dan Aymar-Blair, Dutchess County comptroller; Michael Dupree from the DCC Board of Trustees; and Renee Fillette from Dutchess Outreach. The group toured on-campus dormitories and visited a food pantry available for students.
Assemblymember Barrett has previously helped secure funding for the DCC CARES program through state budget allocations. This initiative provides emergency aid for students and supports ongoing operations at the campus food pantry. Additionally, legislation passed last session gives DCC flexibility to refinance its dormitory loan with Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), aiming to keep on-campus housing affordable.
