Rep. Meeks Announces $1.2m in HHS Funding to Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center

Queens, NY – Today, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks announced $1.2 million in emergency funding for the Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center in Rockaway, Queens. The funding is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) $1.3 billion coronavirus emergency funding to Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded health centers. This will allow the health center to increase health and staffing capacity and can be used to detect, prevent diagnose and treat COVID-19.

This HRSA funding was secured through the CARES Act where Rep. Meeks was able to secure for New York: $15 billion for in Unemployment Insurance benefits, $15.5 billion in direct payments to New Yorkers, $7.5 billion in the State and Local Government Coronavirus Relief Fund; $2 billion in Education Stabilization Fund; and billions more in hospital aid, FEMA Disaster Relief Fund dollars, Small Business Administration loans and grants, and more.

The Congressman issued the following statement:

"$1.2 million in funding to the Addabbo Family Health Center is welcome relief at a time when the situation in New York is dire, particularly now as we are nearing the peak of this pandemic. Every day while I am working and coordinating with hospitals and health centers in our community, I am told that they are in desperate need of PPE, that they are nearing capacity, and are facing a budget crisis.

"With $1.2 million in secured federal funding, the Addabbo center in Rockaway can ramp up their capacity and continue delivering their essential services to the community to ease the load on hospitals and treat coronavirus patients. The center will also be able to purchase additional PPE, and keep safe the health care workers who are out there every day keeping us safe. I am incredibly grateful to their hard work and indeed all of our community is indebted to them for their invaluable service."