The number of hungry people in New York has doubled: the authorities are expanding the distribution of food

About one in four New Yorkers is short of food. Officials promise to provide those in need with over a million free meals per day. This publication writes NPR.

Starvation in five districts of New York skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. To solve this global problem, the authorities will begin to provide the population with more than a million free meals per day, starting next week.

“We are dealing with an unprecedented crisis,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said during his daily briefing on May 21. - Before the onset of the coronavirus, we thought that somewhere around a million people were food insecure and needed. Now we think the figure is 2 million or more. "

This means that about one in four New Yorkers faces food insecurity. According to officials, needy city residents will be able to get takeaway daily. Food packages will be formed taking into account the religious and dietary restrictions of many people.

City health commissioner Kathryn Garcia will be responsible for providing food to the population. “This is a huge operation,” Garcia said at a briefing on Thursday. "It's not like anything that has been done in this city, or I would say, probably, around the world."

Bill de Blasio said local authorities have already delivered 32 million free meals since he declared a state of emergency in connection with the coronavirus on March 12.

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The program did not always run smoothly. City officials say two contractors were fired for delivering packaged meals that did not meet quality standards. “We will hold people accountable,” said Garcia, noting that more than 30 organizations and food producers are participating in the program. "We've made changes to make sure people get healthy food."

The mayor of the city said that almost every segment of the population has become vulnerable during the pandemic, including the elderly and children. “Think of working people, middle-class people who did everything right, and suddenly they no longer have a job and no paycheck, and they don’t have enough money to feed their families,” he said.

The food support program is expected to cost more than $ 170 million, including a $ 50 million plan to create a non-perishable food reserve.

Several hundred food distribution points are already operating in the city. You can learn more about them. here.