Q&A
Food donation portal usage and potential improvements
0:44:21
·
130 sec
Council Member Abreu inquires about the usage of the city's food donation portal and potential improvements to increase its effectiveness in facilitating food donations.
- The donate NYC portal processed over 43,000 tons (86 million pounds) of food for donation in FY 24
- Current usage of the portal is at historically high levels, except for FY21 during the pandemic response
- DSNY believes the portal is functioning well from a user-friendliness and operational standpoint
- The agency is open to working with the council on ways to expand the portal's reach
Shaun Abreu
0:44:21
Alright.
0:44:22
We'll we'll ask them.
0:44:24
According to City Harvest, a New York City food rescue organization, average monthly visits to local food pantries and soup kitchen kitchens are up to 80% this year compared to 2019.
0:44:36
There are laws in place to require certain establishments to donate their leftovers.
0:44:42
But many restaurants routinely throw away perfectly edible food.
0:44:46
To what extent do food donors use the city's food donation portal?
0:44:52
And are there improvements that can be made to the portal to increase its views or alternative ways to facilitate food donation.
0:45:00
So the
Joshua Goodman
0:45:00
city has operated the donate NYC donation portal, which includes a food section as well as textiles and durable goods for many years now.
0:45:11
And In FY 24, the that portal processed over 43,000 tons, so £86,000,000 of food for donation.
0:45:26
Always happy to work with council members on outreach around that to businesses, organizations that may have additional material to donate or organizations that may be looking for donation.
0:45:37
And Kate, do you have anything to add I'd say that's it.
Shaun Abreu
0:45:42
Are there ways improvements can be made to the portal to increases use?
0:45:47
And do you think that the portal is used sufficiently, or would you like to to be used more?
Joshua Goodman
0:45:51
You know, look, I I I I'll it's I'll put it this way.
0:45:56
The portal was the numbers that the number of the amount of material coming through the portal now is historically high.
0:46:04
It's higher than it's ever been with one exception.
0:46:06
Which is FY21, when it was a major component of the city's emergency food program.
0:46:12
Barring a city wide response to a global emergency, it is currently used more than it's ever been used before.
0:46:22
Would love to work with the council on ways to expand it, but it's from from sort of a user friendliness side, from an operation side, we believe that it's functioning as it should.
