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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Rana Abdelhamid, Founder of Malikah, on Food Quality in NYC Shelters
2:30:18
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Rana Abdelhamid, founder of Malikah, testified about the urgent food issues faced by asylum seekers in NYC shelters, particularly highlighting the lack of halal food options and poor food quality. She shared a story of a malnourished Sudanese woman unable to breastfeed due to subpar, non-halal food, emphasizing that halal food is a religious obligation for Muslims.
- Malikah has distributed over 8,000 halal hot meals to asylum seekers, revealing consistent complaints about poor food quality in shelters.
- There have been instances of shelter residents being misled about the halal status of their food, sometimes containing pork or non-halal ingredients.
- Abdelhamid criticized the mismanagement of food contracts and millions of dollars allocated for feeding people in need, urging immediate action to address these issues and ensure culturally appropriate food options.
Rana Abdelhamid
2:30:18
Good afternoon.
2:30:19
I'm testifying on behalf of Rana Abdul Hamid and on behalf of Malika.
2:30:24
Our organization didn't initially set out to focus on asylum work, but when we began working with asylum seekers through c IDCNY, we quickly learned how urgent the food issue was.
2:30:36
One story that particularly stays with me is the story of a Sudanese woman who was so malnourished that she couldn't breastfeed her child.
2:30:43
She was not she had been receiving food that was not only subpar, but also not halal.
2:30:47
For her, this was not just an inconvenience, but it was a direct conflict with her faith.
2:30:52
Halal food is a religious obligation for Muslims.
2:30:55
It's not a matter of preference or choice.
2:30:58
Thanks to the support of council member one's office, we've been able to distribute over 8,000 haden hot meals to asylum seekers.
2:31:06
Every week, we visit shelters in Long Island City and provide meals, but we hear from people over and over again is the same.
2:31:12
The food they are given is of poor quality.
2:31:15
At times, we have heard anecdotally that some of the some have been misled into thinking that they are receiving halal food only to find out later that it contained pork or non halal ingredients.
2:31:25
This isn't just about food.
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It's about faith, dignity, and respect.
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For these individuals, eating something that isn't halal isn't just a dietary mistake.
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It's a violation of their core beliefs and an infringement on their right to practice their religion.
2:31:40
What's even more difficult to grasp is the mismanagement of food contracts and the millions of dollars allocated to feed people in need.
2:31:47
Whenever I see in the news that millions of taxpayer dollars are being spent on food contracts, I feel devastated.
2:31:54
How is it that in a city like New York, One of the wealthiest cities in the world, we are spending millions, but our neighbors are still going hungry and being denied the food that they need?
2:32:03
These contracts, instead of providing adequate culturally competent food, are putting people at risk.
2:32:10
The money is being spent, but it's not reaching those who need it the most.
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Instead, it's being mismanaged, leaving vulnerable communities with food that isn't nourishing, isn't culturally appropriate,
Matt Jozwiak
2:32:20
and this is not safe.
Rana Abdelhamid
2:32:23
I urge the city council to take immediate action to address the mismanagement of these contracts and ensure the food provided to asylum seekers and all New Yorkers meet respects their cultural and religious practices.
2:32:36
For Muslims, eating halal is about living in alignment with their faith.
2:32:40
Our neighbors should not have to choose between their faith and their survival.
2:32:44
We must do better.
2:32:45
Thank you for your time and consideration.