Res. No. 1026 Title Resolution calling upon food manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, government agencies and citizens to make donations of food and money to the Food For Survival Food Bank For New York City to help address the greatest hunger crisis in New York City since the Food Bank began operation in 1983. Body By Council Members Foster, Addabbo, Clarke, Comrie, Fidler, Gennaro, Gerson, Jackson, Lopez, Quinn, Reed, Sanders, Seabrook, Vann, Yassky and Moskowitz Whereas, The Food For Survival Food Bank For New York City (the "Food Bank"), New York's only food bank, was founded in 1983 to distribute food donations collected from manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and government agencies to organizations that provide free food citywide; and Whereas, The Food Bank reports that New York City is experiencing the highest levels of hunger seen since it opened in 1983; and Whereas, New York has been hit particularly hard by the current economic crisis, reportedly nearly 300,000 New Yorkers have lost work in this economic downturn; and Whereas, The Food Bank reports that an estimated 1.5 million New Yorkers depend upon emergency feeding programs, including 300,000 elderly New Yorkers and 500,000 children who otherwise would not get enough to eat; and Whereas, In 2002 the Food Bank distributed over 61 million pounds of food, provided 76 million meals and helped to feed approximately 480,000 people each week at over 1,000 food pantries, soup kitchens and other emergency feeding programs throughout the City for less than 12 cents per pound; and Whereas, The Food Bank is the largest food bank and one of the largest distributors of free fresh produce in the nation and has the capacity, with its 100,000 square foot warehouse that contains a giant freezer and cooler, to store and distribute food to over 1,000 emergency food programs, including soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, child care and senior centers throughout New York City; now, therefore, be it Resolved, that the Council of the City of New York calls upon food manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, government agencies and citizens to make donations of food and money to the Food For Survival Food Bank For New York City to help address the greatest hunger crisis in New York City since the Food Bank began operation in 1983. JDS LS#3090 9/9/03