Title
Authorizing the creation of the Philadelphia Task Force on Food Insecurity to study and develop proposals, strategies, and recommendations to alleviate hunger and increase access to high quality food in the City of Philadelphia.
Body
WHEREAS, More than 210,000 Philadelphians, 13.6% of the city's residents, struggle with food insecurity, according to Feeding America's 2023 Map the Meal Gap report, which is based on 2021 data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The United States Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as the lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life; and
WHEREAS, Food insecurity, specifically relating to lack of access to nutritious food, is tied to a host of adverse health outcomes including increased risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity; and
WHEREAS, Children are particularly impacted as 25% of Philadelphia youth are considered food insecure which contributes to developmental adversities and reduced educational attainment; and
WHEREAS, This issue disproportionately impacts people of color as 22% of Black households and 23% of Hispanic households struggle to access enough healthy food. The concentrated impact of food insecurity compounds racial disparities that the City has consistently sought to address; and
WHEREAS, Poverty is a key driver of hunger and food insecurity, and existing assistance programs do not meet current needs. While federal income-based assistance programs, such as SNAP and WIC, provide an important safety net for low-income individuals and families, more than 32% of Philadelphians who experience food insecurity are above the income thresholds to qualify for those programs. Moreover, many individuals and families who do qualify for assistance are not currently enrolled in these programs; now, therefore, be it
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY RESOLVES:
SECTION 1. Creation of the Phila...
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