Dear Community,
When our nation was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity and hunger skyrocketed drastically. The Bronx was especially hard-hit, as even prior to the pandemic, the South Bronx had the highest rate of food insecurity in the country and the Bronx had the highest unemployment rate in the state. COVID-19 resulted in hunger increasing dramatically in our district, with 1 in 5 Bronxites suffering from food insecurity. Along with COVID-19, food insecurity became its own pandemic.
Throughout 2020, my office distributed over 100K meals to families in need. We are continuing to work with food distributors in the community to distribute food, especially fresh produce that is often inaccessible in the Bronx. However, we cannot depend on emergency food assistance in the long-term and must maximize investment in nutritional programs at every level of government. This is why I am committed to passing my Healthy Foods Procurement bill, which will require nutritious and locally grown food to be served in all schools and state-supported facilities, expanding access to healthy foods and bringing us one step closer to eradicating food insecurity in our communities.
Good health is a fundamental human right, not a privilege – and that starts with access to food. To live up to these values, we must ensure nutritious, affordable food is accessible to all New Yorkers, regardless of their race or income. We can no longer put bandaids on everything, but rather we must address the root causes of these problems and enact long-standing solutions. I look forward to working alongside the Bronx community to combat food insecurity.
With Gratitude,
State Senator Alessandra Biaggi
No comments:
Post a Comment