FIGHTING BACK AGAINST TRUMP’S ANTI-AFFORDABILITY AGENDA, CONGRESSMAN RYAN CONTINUES DELIVERING DIRECT ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF WITH SEPTEMBER C.A.R.E.S. VAN EVENTS

Fighting Back Against Trump’s Anti-Affordability Agenda, Congressman Ryan Continues Delivering Direct Assistance and Relief with September C.A.R.E.S. Van Events

In Trump’s first months in office, he and the House GOP have rammed through an economic agenda that is poised to send the cost of living skyrocketing with tariffs, drives up health care costs for families, will kick millions off of their health care plans, snatches food assistance from children and seniors, pulls critical grant funding to communities, small businesses, and working families, and threatens local hospitals with closure

With the C.A.R.E.S. Van, Ryan and his team deliver one-on-one assistance navigating federal programs and accessing benefits including Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare directly to constituents in their own community

During the first district tour, the Van reached over 1,500 constituents and logged 3,341 miles, helping Ryan’s team recently surpass over $40 million in casework assistance for NY-18 constituents

WASHINGTON, DC  –  Today, Congressman Pat Ryan announced the schedule of September events for his mobile office, the Constituent Advocacy Resources Empowerment Services (C.A.R.E.S.) Van, across the Hudson Valley. Congressman Ryan’s C.A.R.E.S. Van, staffed by his team of highly-trained caseworkers, will bring direct assistance with federal agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and IRS to Hudson Valley families right in their own community. With the Trump Administration and House GOP’s relentless attacks on the pocketbooks of Hudson Valley families over recent months, Ryan’s C.A.R.E.S. Van team has been all hands on deck to aid constituents hurt by the nonstop cuts to critical federal programs, closures, and uncertainty – in particular regarding health care. The C.A.R.E.S. Van has become a staple at community events and celebrations since June 2023.

“These first months of this Trump Administration have been relentless attacks on the livelihoods of Hudson Valley families. My team and I are acting with the urgency this moment warrants to make sure that every Hudson Valley family has the direct relief, support, and answers they deserve, right where they are and when they need it,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “Whether you need help navigating your Social Security benefits, are worried about losing access to your health care, or have questions about the major slashes in federal grants and how to find new funding, my team is looking forward to hearing you and helping you right in your community.” 

Congressman Ryan’s C.A.R.E.S. Van assists constituents of NY-18 in accessing earned benefits, such as Veterans’ Affairs benefits and Social Security, federal grant funding, passports and visas, immigration and naturalization services, and resolving issues with federal agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service. 

“Congressman Ryan’s team was extremely polite, professional, and emphatic towards my situation as a disabled veteran,” said Middletown veteran Nicholas White. “They contacted me to inform me of everything and what they could do to assist. I was granted 100% P&T disability compensation. My wife and I couldn't be happier. Thank you!”

“We are so grateful for the excellent assistance we received from Congressman Ryan’s office,” said David Friedman of New Paltz. “For two years we have been trying to resolve a problem with the IRS, and because of the intervention of his office, the issue has been properly resolved, and we actually received interest on an amount due from the IRS! It took something special to get this matter looked at and Congressman Ryan’s office provided that!”

“My 2022 tax return was held up by the IRS for nine months,” said Robert Warhola of Kingston. “I had plans for my refund. The case worker assured me this problem could be resolved in two weeks. As promised, I received my refund electronically. It is nice to see our government working efficiently.” 

“Thanks to Congressman Ryan’s office, the IRS finally issued refunds this spring for 2 returns I filed back in 2021,” said Stacy Quinn of Rhinebeck. “ After a very frustrating year of follow up – including an appointment at the IRS regional office in Poughkeepsie, multiple IRS assurances that I would hear back but never did, and a request for help from a senator’s office that was ignored – I was about to lose hope.  Congressman Ryan’s office responded immediately, however, provided frequent updates, and I received the missing refunds in 6 weeks.” 

The C.A.R.E.S. Van’s casework team meets and listens to community members and answers and offers assistance with federal programs and benefits including, but not limited to:

Social Security, Veterans Affairs (VA), Medicare, Medicaid, federal student loans, federal grants for local governments, small businesses and organizations, and households, IRS taxes and tax returns, passports, immigration services, military records and awards, the Office of Personnel for federal workers, connecting with Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and the military community in the Hudson Valley, U.S. Service Academy nominations, and more!

In March of 2024, the C.A.R.E.S. Van completed its first district tour, visiting every one of the 82 cities, towns, and villages in NY-18 in under 10 months. During the first district tour, the Van reached over 1,500 constituents and logged 3,341 miles to bring assistance directly to Hudson Valley families where they are at. The Van has been critical in assisting Ryan’s team in securing over $40 million in casework assistance for NY-18 constituents.

The C.A.R.E.S. Van has also been mobilized for specialized events, resource fairs, community events, and to deliver emergency response resources including, but not limited to:

• Bringing direct assistance from the Social Security Administration back to Ulster County following closure of the county’s only Social Security Administration office.
• Partnering with dozens of community organizations, the Social Security Administration, the Center for Medicare, local governments from across the Hudson Valley for Senior Resource Fairs.
• Partnering with Veterans Service Organizations, local governments, and the Hudson Valley military community to deliver Veterans and Military Families Resource Fairs and for Congressman Ryan’s Veterans Week of Action that made stops in every county in NY-18.
• Mobilizing a coalition of community partners, emergency response organizations, and local governments to bring direct relief to communities impacted by the catastrophic flooding events of July 2023.
• Partnering with the New York State Comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds to connect constituents with money owed to them by the State.
• Delivering direct assistance with federal agencies to community events including the Dutchess County Senior Picnics, National Night Out in partnership with local law enforcement agencies, community Trunk-or-Treat Halloween celebrations, community farmers’ markets, Kingston’s Mexican and Central American Independence Celebration, Warwick’s Mental Health Awareness Celebration, the Orange County Veterans’ Picnic, and more!

The schedule for the C.A.R.E.S. Van’s September events is as follows, and updates will be provided via social media. 

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2:

10:00AM - 2:00PM

Healthy Orange Farmers Market

130 Broadway

Newburgh, NY 12550

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6:

2:00PM - 5:00PM

One Life Only Festival

Dietz Stadium

170 N. Front Street

Kingston, NY 12401

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7:

10:00AM - 2:00PM

Beacon Farmers Market

233 Main Street

Beacon, NY

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10:

10:00AM - 12:00PM

Tivoli Free Library

86 Broadway

Tivoli, NY 12583

2:00PM - 4:00PM

Milan Town Hall

20 Wilcox Circle

Milan, NY 12571

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13:

10:00AM - 1:00PM

Middletown Farmers Market

1-31 Union Street

Middletown, NY 10940

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16:

2:00PM - 5:30PM

Poughkeepsie Waterfront Market

75 N. Water Street

Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17:

12:00PM - 1:30PM

Millbrook Library

3 Friendly Lane

Millbrook, NY 12545

2:00PM - 4:00PM

Clinton Town Hall

1215 Centre Road (County Route 18)

Rhinebeck, NY 12572

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18:

2:00PM - 4:00PM

Greenville Town Hall

1539 Route 6

Port Jervis, NY 12771

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20:

11:00AM - 2:00PM

10th Annual Moon Festival

517 Neversink Drive

Port Jervis, NY 12771

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23:

10:00AM - 12:00PM

Russell Brott Senior Center

1 Town Hall Drive

Lake Katrine, NY 12449

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27:

10:00AM - 1:00PM

Dutchess County Office of the Aging Senior Golden Gathering

1157 State Route 55

Lagrangeville, NY 12540

1:00PM - 4:00PM

Wraparound Service of the Hudson Valley’s 13th Annual Accessibility Awareness Day

Walkway over the Hudson (Ulster side)

87 Haviland Road

Highland, NY 12528

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28:

10:00AM - 5:00PM

City of Port Jervis Fall Foliage Festival

Historic Downtown

1 Jersey Avenue

Port Jervis, NY 12771

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