Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul announced increased funding for United Way of New York City to support the expansion of Choose Healthy Life, a program dedicated to increasing access to health services in underserved communities through the Black church. The expanded initiative will add 10 Choose Healthy Life–funded churches in New York State to the 20 existing churches in New York City, bringing critical health services and wellness programs to five New York cities: Albany, Buffalo, Newburgh, Rochester and Syracuse. The Governor announced that Choose Healthy Life is receiving nearly $5 million, a $1.5 million increase over the prior fiscal year to fund the expansion which further affirms her commitment to improving health outcomes in Black communities.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page has photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

 I can't think of a better place to gather on Valentine's Day than a place that is so full of love. And I appreciate all of you.

And Debra, what would this world be like without your presence? And the stories you talked about, we've been together many times and with Hazel Dukes about how you went into the rooms of people who were afflicted with AIDS when they were dying alone because their own family members rejected them. That was a crisis at a time when it was just calling out for leadership, someone to recognize and be a voice and use the power. And you answered that call, you and Hazel and so many others. And so that is the legacy you bring to a cause like Choose Healthy Life. And this is your passion. This is why God did put you on earth because there are people walking alive today. That otherwise would have succumbed to illness and disease if it was not for you, Debra Howze. I want to thank you again.

And to have Reverend Calvin O. Butts involved. I remember when I first ran for local office, you had to go visit the Rev. and win him over. We ended up having a great relationship and it was just a few years ago, I stood with Reverend Al. Reverend McGrath was there, Debra was there, in the First Corinthian Church. And, it reminded me of the power of people coming together who say there's something wrong out there and who but us are going to stand up. And what we were doing at that church at that time was announcing significant funding from the State of New York that had never been there before. And Debra, I have to say, after listening to your presentation and Hazel Dukes and Reverend Al and Reverend McGrath and everybody, you had me at hello.

There's just no way to say I can't help you when your mission is to put life saving vaccinations, whether it's during the COVID crisis or afterward, in people's arms. Give them a chance to breathe and live. Or taking care of pregnant women. When we have a time when the mortality rate for moms and babies is higher than it was years ago, it's going up in the wrong direction. We stand up and say, “What can we do for them?” We've invested a lot at the state level to help solve this crisis. And as New York's first mom Governor, this is personal. This is personal. Every mom and a baby should be able to enter life healthy. So we have worked together.

This organization, and you've come to me so many times, I just saw you in December in my office. I always give you nice food. It's a great conversation. You're welcome back again. You're welcome back again. I understood what you're talking about. You have reached over 100,000 people in the five boroughs. That's extraordinary.

But you also saw there's a bigger state out there. And I don't think many people know that of the top 10 highest poverty zip codes in New York State, one is in the Bronx, three are in Syracuse, three are in Buffalo, and three are in Rochester. So you recognize that this is a problem that is all over Upstate, especially in our cities. So why not bring this tested program with dedicated individuals and all these volunteers and all the medical team. Let it expand by connecting the clergy, the most trusted people in someone's life is that member of the clergy who preaches to them on Sundays and they take that message with them all week long.

Use them with the science, the doctors, and save more lives over the State of New York. I so admire that and that's why I'm announcing another 1.5 million dollars to get you there. A total of 5 million dollars over the last three years. That's for you. That's for the work you're doing. That's to save lives. That's how we help people across the State of New York. And I will keep fighting for you.

We're going to keep focusing on making health care human right for everyone, increasing the quality, but also our families are struggling so much. No one asked for a pandemic, but when it got through it, we're okay. Then he gets slammed with inflation. Everything's going up. We talk about the cost of raising babies and grandbabies. Most expensive time in their lives, when they're newborns and up to age four, right? New York State did not have a program to put a dime in those families' pockets. They decided that when a child is four years old, we'll give you $300. Okay, I had to buy diapers. I bought formula. They outgrew their clothes every three months. That's the most expensive time. Why aren't we helping parents? So now, when I'm proposing I need your help to get this through. A $1,000 for every family that has a child under the age of four to help them with their costs. A school aged child – $500.

And because you paid so much more for everything, who's bought eggs lately? They're like, that's like buying a diamond. This is like a luxury good now. I just had a couple poached eggs, I said, “How much did this cost me?” So you think about the basics. Basics, like eggs and bread and cereal. So expensive.

All of you New Yorkers, all of us, paid more in sales tax because it was on top of a high price. Think about the math behind that. So guess what? I talked to my Budget Director a few months ago. We have collected $3 billion more during this short time frame in sales tax revenue than we even expected. And I said, “Okay, I can put that in reserves for a rainy day.” I can put it here because it's only one time you can't fund future things with that. That's one time so why don't we put it back in the pockets of the people it came out of? So I'm proposing for families another $500 to help with the grocery shopping, help with that utility bill, help them just feel like someone's listening to them. And a middle class tax cut, the biggest rate decrease in 70 years. Putting more money back in your pockets.

We're just getting warmed up here. But when you add it all up, and the cost of covering children's breakfast and lunch in school, $1,600 per child savings that parents don't have to spend. Okay, I'm doing a little math over here. We're up to $5,000 for a family with a few young kids and a school aged child. $5,000 back in their pockets if you could support me in getting this through this year in my Budget. That's how I'm talking about it. That's what I'm talking about.

So I appreciate that so much. And your support. Your friendship, but also the power of channeling God's – his belief in all of you. He's called you to this purpose. And every day you're part of this organization supporting and spreading it all over the state where they so need our voices and help. You're living what God puts you on earth for – is to make a difference in people's lives. That's the only reason we're here. And I want to thank you all. You're an incredible team.

I have to recognize, before I leave another individual. That you're honoring here, someone who's made a profound difference in the lives of the people of the community I come from. And that is our Majority Leader, Crystal Peoples-Stokes has joined us here.

Crystal, stand and rise for Crystal. She's amazing. We've been together so long. So long, almost our entire political careers. Working closely together and to see her rise up. Through the county legislature, majority leader of the county legislature that she goes from there. She runs for Congress in an almost all white district where people said she didn't have a chance in hell. And she stood up there and said, “I'm going to represent my part of Buffalo.” Her neighborhood was there, but went all the way out to the suburbs. This is a woman of courage. And I was at her side. I know what she was going through. But this is what I've admired her whole life. She cares so deeply about the people of her community. And she's taken that to this powerful position – be a voice for people all over New York. I cherish this woman. I hope you do as well. And again, congratulations Crystal Peoples-Stokes.

Thank you everybody. And thank all of you.