Q&A
Council member Julie Won questions Commissioner Park about halal food certification and quality in shelters
2:46:49
·
4 min
Council Member Julie Won questions Commissioner Molly Wasow Park about the oversight of halal food certification and general food quality in migrant shelters. The discussion covers issues with fraudulent halal claims, poor food quality from certain caterers, and potential solutions to improve food services.
- Won raises concerns about non-halal food being served to Muslim migrants and the overall poor quality of food in shelters.
- Commissioner Park explains the current oversight process and mentions efforts to bring more vendors into the food space, including MWBE partnerships.
- The possibility of partnering with organizations like Rethink Foods is discussed as a potential solution to improve food quality and support local restaurants.
Julie Won
2:46:49
I just wanted to make sure that I got I got to ask this question before you left.
2:46:52
There was an article on November 20th in Hellgate that exposed the city and states lack of city and states oversight on halal certification for migrant shelters and the food that they're getting.
2:47:03
The site in question was a city run migrant site where a for profit vendor was providing halal food that were not only bad quality, I believe it was Riviera caterings because I have the same place, same issue at a place in my district, where Riviera I've had multiple constituents complain
Gale A. Brewer
2:47:21
that
Julie Won
2:47:21
it was not halal food.
2:47:24
So they are continuing to claim inaccurately that they are halal and despite the protest of Muslim migrants.
2:47:32
What is the city's plan to reform the oversight process to ensure that meals are appropriate for halal observing clients and that there is no fraudulent claims like that?
Molly Wasow Park
2:47:41
So I'm gonna confirm and and we'll follow-up with you, but I believe that was not in the DHS system, so I which limits my ability to speak to the specifics.
2:47:50
We absolutely take, people's, food needs very seriously, whether they are religious or dietary.
2:47:58
And to the best of my knowledge, we have not had specific complaints on that within the DHS system, but I will certainly follow-up.
Julie Won
2:48:04
So does DHS have, follow a certification process?
2:48:07
Because there is a halal certification countrywide that you can receive to serve halal food.
Molly Wasow Park
2:48:13
So, in most instances, the way that food is delivered within the the DHS system is that the provider typically has a subcontract for their food vendor.
2:48:24
We obligate people to, those providers to meet the, religious and and dietary needs of clients.
2:48:32
And so they are the providers are obligated to provide, you know, halal or kosher or whatever the the specifics are.
2:48:39
As I say, we it is something that and we have a a dietitian on staff whose job it is is to monitor compliance with with dietary restrictions as well as the team that that oversees our reasonable accommodations, which is, how typically how specific meals are requested.
2:48:55
So we have a lot of eyes on that.
2:48:57
As I say, I don't believe this was, within the DHS system, but I will triple check and and get back to you.
Julie Won
2:49:02
Because, just talking about food overall, the food quality continues to be disgusting and pugnant.
2:49:09
We had to meet with your team, for a paper factory hotel because shelter residents were providing the food back to us again, asking us to smell it, to look at it.
2:49:19
It was from Riviera caterers.
2:49:20
So Riviera and Regina's caterers continue to get mass amounts of food subcontracts in the DHS system even though the food quality has been proven time and time again to be inedible?
2:49:31
And we're spending more than half a $1,000,000,000 on all of these foods that are inedible.
Molly Wasow Park
2:49:38
So we work very hard to make sure that that all of our providers are adhering to the city's food standards as as council members.
2:49:45
I know we've discussed that means limitations on calories, sugar, salt, and fat.
2:49:51
So that that does it is very prescriptive, but we are also actively working to bring more vendors into the food space.
2:49:59
We think this is an area that is, very ripe for MWBE partnerships.
2:50:05
So we've been, doing a lot of what we call our match matchmaking events, where we're bringing together pro providers who are our prime contractors with subcontractors in various fields, particularly food is an area of focus.
2:50:18
We think that is good from a a business development standpoint and also brings, you know, more competition and more options into the space.
Julie Won
2:50:26
Because I think a partner like Rethink Foods is the ultimate matchmaker where we know that our city's contracting funds will be recirculated into our local economy to our restaurants directly.
2:50:38
And we know that the food tastes good because it's made locally from a restaurant, the food that you and I would eat for lunch.
Gale A. Brewer
2:50:44
I would just cancel all the contracts and give it to Rethink.
Molly Wasow Park
2:50:49
Understood.
Julie Won
2:50:50
Alright.
2:50:50
Thank you.
Gale A. Brewer
2:50:51
Thank you very much, commissioner and staff.
