File #: Res 0775-2007    Version: * Name: Establish a program to coordinate the donation of excess food from school meal programs to voluntary food assistance programs.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on General Welfare
On agenda: 3/28/2007
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution supporting New York State Assembly Bill A.5334, which would establish a program to coordinate the donation of excess food from school meal programs to voluntary food assistance programs.
Sponsors: Helen D. Foster, Gale A. Brewer, Inez E. Dickens, Lewis A. Fidler, Vincent J. Gentile, Sara M. Gonzalez, Letitia James, Darlene Mealy, Michael C. Nelson, Annabel Palma, Larry B. Seabrook, David I. Weprin, Thomas White, Jr., James Sanders, Jr., Alan J. Gerson
Council Member Sponsors: 15

Res. No. 775

 

 

Resolution supporting New York State Assembly Bill A.5334, which would establish a program to coordinate the donation of excess food from school meal programs to voluntary food assistance programs.

 

By Council Members Foster, Brewer, Dickens, Fidler, Gentile, Gonzalez, James, Mealy, Nelson, Palma, Seabrook, Weprin, White Jr., Sanders Jr. and Gerson

 

Whereas, According to the New York City Coalition Against Hunger’s most recent annual survey, approximately 1.2 million (more than one in seven) New York City residents live in a food insecure household; and

Whereas, A 2005 report by the Food Bank for New York City found that approximately 32 percent of New York City residents had difficulty affording food at some point during 2005; and

Whereas, According to a 2006 joint report by the Food Bank for New York City and City Harvest, each year more than 1.2 million New York City residents turn to emergency food programs, such as food pantries and soup kitchens; and

Whereas, With such high numbers of people seeking emergency food, advocates report that a significant number of food pantries and soup kitchens were forced to either turn away hungry people, reduce portion size, or shorten hours of operation in 2006; and

Whereas, Schools through New York State serve nearly 2 million meals every day; and

Whereas, While schools are required to carefully plan menus to minimize food waste, schools are often left with significant amounts of unserved food due to events such as inclement weather, student absences, or field trips; and

Whereas, Programs are already in place throughout the State to collect food that would otherwise be discarded from restaurants and other foodservice operations such as fundraising dinners and corporate cafeterias; and

 Whereas, On January 18, 2001 the Committee on General Welfare conducted an oversight hearing at which New York City Board of Education officials testified that if it were assured of the proper handling of left over food, it would donate left over lunches; and

Whereas, On January 18, 2001 the Committee on General Welfare passed a resolution which was subsequently adopted by the full New York City Council, urging the New York City Board of Education to implement a school lunch recovery program; and

Whereas, New York State Assembly Bill A.5334 would not only assist in the creation of a school lunch recovery program for New York City public schools, but would also help facilitate the creation of similar programs throughout the State thereby helping to feed thousands of hungry New Yorkers; and

Whereas, New York State Assembly Bill A.5334 would therefore be a strong weapon in the fight against hunger in New York City and throughout the State; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York supports New York State Assembly Bill A.5334, which would establish a program to coordinate the donation of excess food from school meal programs to voluntary food assistance programs.

 

 

 

 

FR

LS 2496

3/17/07