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Q&A
Discussion on food sourcing for senior centers
3:44:59
·
100 sec
Council Member Brewer and Commissioner Cortés-Vázquez discuss food sourcing practices for senior centers, focusing on local and sustainable options.
- Senior centers (referred to as 'older adult centers' by the department) have autonomy in their food sourcing.
- Many centers are embracing farm-to-table concepts and focusing on 'food as medicine' approaches.
- The department may track local sourcing data, but the commissioner needs to verify this information.
- Brewer mentions a previously passed law requiring tracking of food sourcing, which may not be fully implemented.
Gale A. Brewer
3:44:59
And just finally back to my food thing.
3:45:01
I know that, DCAS deals with you, correction, and HRA.
3:45:06
So do you do local sourcing?
3:45:08
And obviously you've got senior centers.
3:45:10
I mean, you'll call them those older adult things.
3:45:12
I call them senior centers.
3:45:14
Whatever.
3:45:15
Those centers are, you know, diverse.
3:45:19
Do they do their own food sourcing?
3:45:22
Do they work through you?
3:45:23
We're trying to get more New York State farmers to be able to be purchased from the city of New York as opposed to California, those god awful California vegetables.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
3:45:34
Yeah.
3:45:34
I I am really proud of the way that our not for profit network sources its food.
3:45:42
I mean, they do so they are very much in tune with the farm to table, very much in tune particularly as we go into food as medicine.
3:45:53
So they are, they have a variety of ways of sourcing that.
3:45:56
But that is solely their responsibility on how they source food.
Gale A. Brewer
3:46:00
So you don't keep track of that whether it's locally sourced or otherwise?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
3:46:04
I think we do keep track of that.
3:46:06
I'll get back to you
Gale A. Brewer
3:46:06
on exactly
3:46:07
If you do, I'd love to know.
UNKNOWN
3:46:07
how to do
Gale A. Brewer
3:46:10
There
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
3:46:10
is Yeah.
Gale A. Brewer
3:46:11
I do have a law that passed many years ago that says we're supposed to keep track.
3:46:15
And to be honest
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
3:46:15
with you, it's not
Gale A. Brewer
3:46:16
real And we
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
3:46:17
probably do.
3:46:17
I just don't remember.
3:46:18
But I'll get back to you with a clear answer on that.
Gale A. Brewer
3:46:21
Don't go Wednesdays.
3:46:22
Thank you.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
3:46:25
Go Wednesdays.
3:46:26
The food is good and the plant base is delicious and we have top chef winners.
Justin Brannan
3:46:33
Gail, I'll eat your stuffed peppers if you don't want them.
3:46:38
Council member Lewis.