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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Keith Carr, Senior Policy and Government Relations Manager at City Harvest
3:51:38
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176 sec
Keith Carr from City Harvest, the largest food rescue organization in NYC, testifies about the increasing food insecurity crisis in the city and requests for increased funding in the 2026 budget. He emphasizes the growing demand for emergency food services and the need for more substantial support to address the affordability crisis.
- City Harvest has seen over 1 million additional pantry visits per week since 2019, with a 10% increase in food insecurity
- The organization is requesting $100 million for the Community Food Connections program and $57 million to combat older adult hunger
- Carr stresses that the food insecurity crisis is closely tied to housing affordability issues
Keith Carr
3:51:38
Good afternoon.
3:51:39
Good afternoon Chair Ayala and members of the committee.
3:51:42
Thank you again for holding this important hearing.
3:51:43
My name's Keith Carr.
3:51:44
I'm the senior policy and government relations manager at City Harvest.
3:51:47
City Harvest is the first and largest food rescue organization in the city.
3:51:51
We service more than 400 soup kitchens and food pantries all across all five boroughs.
3:51:56
And we've been doing so for the last forty three years but this year is as we all know is a little bit different.
3:52:02
It's not business as usual and it hasn't really been the same since 2019.
3:52:06
Since 2019 we've been seeing over 1,000,000 additional pantry visits per week.
3:52:11
That's not a month but per week throughout our network and compared to data from 2019.
3:52:18
Also we've seen a 30, I'm sorry 10% increase in the number of New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity.
3:52:24
We're also seeing twice as many families with children visiting our pantries and twice as many employed New Yorkers like people who work every single day standing in line to get emergency food.
3:52:35
And I hate that term emergency because this isn't an emergency, it's a crisis.
3:52:39
So in response to the growing demand, City Harvest has increased the amount of food that we distribute to by nearly 30 to our network of food pantries and bring us to a total of more than 81,000,000 pounds of nutritious produce that we deliver each and every day as our trucks crisscross the city for twenty hours a day.
3:53:00
Our trucks are on the road delivering food and produce to folks like West the West Side Campaign against hunger and our entire network.
3:53:07
So as Nick said, have a couple of key policy asks that we love and would love to see the council take into account and really push forward in the 2026 budget.
3:53:22
We're looking for, as Nick said, to increase Community Food Connections program not to 50,000,000.
3:53:27
Thank you for amplifying the importance of the program but as our network can everyone in our network can come and say that that's not enough.
3:53:34
We really want 100,000,000 and get it at least as close to 100,000,000 as possible.
3:53:40
Also we're looking please combat older adult hunger by investing $57,000,000 in concrete meals at older adult centers and restoring 100,000,000 plus in cuts to NYC Aging's overall budget.
3:53:54
I'm almost finished.
3:53:55
Support community led food and food insecurity by creating a food justice fund and this was outlined in the mayor's ten year food policy plan and restore access to healthy grocery incentives program.
3:54:07
The groceries to go program was successful so please continue to fund that.
3:54:11
And apply food security items apply the food security lens to housing stability and affordable childcare.
3:54:17
Everyone in the city knows that rent eats first.
3:54:20
The number one reason why most people are food insecure is because they're trying to pay their rent.
3:54:24
And this is an affordability crisis.
3:54:26
It's not an emergency food.
3:54:27
There's plenty of food.
3:54:28
People just can't afford to feed themselves and their families.
3:54:31
So we look forward to working with you.
3:54:33
Thank you.
3:54:33
You've been a fantastic partner.
Diana Ayala
3:54:34
No.