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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Mohammad Razvi, Founder and CEO of Council of Peoples Organization
5:11:07
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124 sec
Mohammad Razvi, founder and CEO of the Council of Peoples Organization (COPO), testified about the importance of supporting senior programs, particularly those serving Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities in Brooklyn. He highlighted COPO's services, including a senior center and a Halal Meals on Wheels program.
- Emphasized the need for continued support of DFTA and its programs, especially food services for seniors
- Advocated for mental health counseling services for seniors
- Requested that the city council establish a policy defining what is considered halal, noting that halal is not the same as kosher
Mohammad Razvi
5:11:07
Good afternoon, chair Hudson and chair Brann and esteemed council members.
5:11:12
Thank you for this opportunity to testify.
5:11:14
My name is Mohammad Razvi.
5:11:16
I'm the founder and CEO of COPO Council of Peoples Organization.
5:11:20
It is the largest service provider for Muslim Arab South Asians in Brooklyn.
5:11:24
We serve about 40,000 individuals annually.
5:11:28
And many programs that we have is one of them is the senior center, which is possibly the only senior center in Brooklyn funded by Department of the Aging.
5:11:39
It is the only Halal Meals on Wheels program possibly in the city, state and the country.
5:11:46
I have given my flyer with the testimony.
5:11:49
So in the flyer, you will see the actual Halal Meals on Wheels truck and more importantly, the food pantry.
5:11:56
The Halal food pantry that we run are the foods that we give to our seniors.
5:12:01
It is essential that we continue to support our seniors and the programs for food, and that's what we're advocating tremendously with addition to the mental health counseling because we have found many seniors who are in need of that service.
5:12:16
And it's imperative that you continue and I'm so glad that you continue to support DFTA and the commissioner because commissioner and DFTA was the one who actually initiated the first program for us for the Halal Meals on Wheels and for such a center in Brooklyn.
5:12:33
They actually also utilized the capital grant to help us fund a first kitchen for the community.
5:12:40
We totally support their advocacy on getting the resources and we request that city council put a policy in place which states what is halal because many individuals are pertaining that kosher is same as halal and halal is not same as kosher.
5:13:01
So please, these are the one of the most important things.
5:13:04
It is not the same.
5:13:06
Although diverse communities, they can sometimes eat food, but it's not the same.
5:13:11
Thank you.