Finding Synergy: Developing Long Term Food Goals for Upper Manhattan

A proposal for discussion at the Healthy Food for Upper Manhattan by the NYC Food Policy Center at Hunter College

Re-Cap of Last Meeting: Establishing Common Themes

Re-cap of Last Meeting: HFUM MAP

Looking Ahead: A proposalOver the next 3-6 months, convene a working group of

Upper Manhattan food groups to develop shared long term goals for local food groups in order to:

1. Find common ground that unites us

2. Maximize our cumulative impact

3. Use limited resources more efficiently

4. Create a culture of sharing and collective action

5. Avoid duplication of effort

Common GoalsTo spark discussion, over the last 6 months we have consulted

with various groups to draft possible common goals. They are presented here not as a finished product but as a first draft that can be developed and refined over time.

POSSIBLE FOOD GOALS FOR UPPER MANHATTANFood Retail

1. Increase number and improve quality and affordability of supermarkets.2. Increase number and affordability of alternative sources of healthy food.

Food Access

3. Improve quality and increase enrollment in local institutional food programs.

4. Ensure that all East Harlem residents are enrolled in food benefit and income support programs for which they are eligible.

Marketing of Unhealthy Food

5. Reduce number of retail stores and restaurants that sell mainly unhealthy food6. Reduce exposure of Upper Manhattan residents to various forms of promotion of unhealthy food.

Food Workers

7. Improve pay and working conditions of food workers who live and/or work in Upper Manhattan.

Nutrition Education and Counseling

8. Increase access to accurate, culturally appropriate nutrition information in multiple settings.9. Strengthen capacity of local health care providers to offer appropriate nutritional services to patients and families and create new health care jobs that promote healthier eating.

Food Democracy

10. Engage community residents and organizations in shaping Upper Manhattan East Harlem food environments

Some Questions to Ask on Each Goal

What’s happening now?What groups are active in this domain?What have been achievements over last 5-10 years?What are brick walls blocking progress?What are windows of opportunity for moving

forward? What can be achieved in Upper Manhattan and what

requires citywide or national action? What metrics are available for tracking progress?

For example: Increase number and affordability of alternative sources of healthy food.

What’s happening now?Green cartsFarmers MarketsFood box distributionCSAsSchool-based food

distributionWhat else?

What groups are active in this domain?

Harvest HomeCorbin Hill Food ProjectGROW NYCDPHOHarlem SeedsWho else?

Goal: Increase number and affordability of alternative sources of healthy food.

What have been achievements over last 5-10 years?

• In 2002, no farmers market in East Harlem.

• Now five in East Harlem and others in Central Harlem and Washington Heights

Goal: Increase number and affordability of alternative sources of healthy food.What are brick walls blocking

progress?

What are windows of opportunity for moving forward?

Inadequate distribution system for alternative outlets, high prices for fruits and vegetables, quality

DOHMH interest in alternatives, state funding, food hub task force

Goal: Increase number and affordability of alternative sources of healthy food.What can be achieved in Upper Manhattan and what requires citywide or national action?

Upper Manhattan- Food Coops, CSA’s, etc.- Creation of food hubs- Increase storage

opportunities for Green Cart owners

Citywide/National- Increase health bucks

allocation and distribution - Increase health bucks

allotted for Seniors- Increase SNAP dollars and

find new incentives for healthier food

Next steps? We invite Healthy Food for Upper Manhattan members

interested in developing such goals to join a working group to develop these ideas for presentation to HFUM at our next meeting.