File #: Res 0355-2004    Version: * Name: Donation of excess, unused food from meals programs at schools.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on General Welfare
On agenda: 5/19/2004
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution supporting New York State Assembly Bill A.2763, which would coordinate the donation of excess, unused food from meals programs at schools, universities and other educational institutions to hungry New Yorkers.
Sponsors: Helen D. Foster, Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., Tony Avella, Maria Baez, Charles Barron, Yvette D. Clarke, Leroy G. Comrie, Jr., Simcha Felder, Alan J. Gerson, Melinda R. Katz, Margarita Lopez, Michael C. Nelson, Bill Perkins, Joel Rivera, James Sanders, Jr., James F. Gennaro, Gale A. Brewer, Lewis A. Fidler, Vincent J. Gentile, Sara M. Gonzalez, Letitia James, Allan W. Jennings, Jr., John C. Liu, Miguel Martinez, Annabel Palma, Christine C. Quinn, Diana Reyna, Larry B. Seabrook, Helen Sears, Kendall Stewart, David I. Weprin, David Yassky
Council Member Sponsors: 32

                                                                                                         Res. No. 355

 

 

Resolution supporting New York State Assembly Bill A.2763, which would coordinate the donation of excess, unused food from meals programs at schools, universities and other educational institutions to hungry New Yorkers.

 

By Council Members Foster, Addabbo, Avella, Baez, Barron, Clarke, Comrie, Felder, Gerson, Katz, Lopez, Nelson, Perkins, Rivera, Sanders, Gennaro, Brewer, Fidler, Gentile, Gonzalez, James, Jennings, Liu, Martinez, Palma, Quinn, Reyna, Seabrook, Sears, Stewart, Weprin and Yassky

 

 

Whereas, According to the Food Bank for New York City, there are over 1.5 million  people in New York City who rely on emergency programs to alleviate food insecurity or hunger, including over 500,000 children and 300,000 seniors; and

Whereas, New York City’s soup kitchens and food pantries report that requests for emergency food in New York City grew by 45% from January 2000 to January 2002; and

Whereas, The New York City Coalition Against Hunger also indicated that from January 2000 to January 2002, emergency food programs turned away 349,776 hungry people in New York City; and

Whereas, Educational institutions throughout the State operate meal programs that serve millions of meals; and

Whereas, As an example, the New York City Board of Education currently has one of the largest food preparation programs in the nation -- preparing approximately 810,000 meals on a daily basis; and

Whereas, Due to numerous factors such as student absences and school field trips, the New York City Board of Education does not serve all of the meals allotted daily and almost always discards the majority of food which is left over; and

Whereas, According to some food recovery and gleaning advocates, if just 2 ½ to 5% of the meals served in the New York City public school system could be recovered, between 20,000 and 40,000 additional meals could be served to the poor each day; 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.2763 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.2763 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.2763, which would coordinate the donation of excess, unused food from meals programs at schools, universities and other educational institutions to hungry New Yorkers.