Priority IV: Advocate for an equitable and inclusive food system

Advocate for an equitable and inclusive food system that is centered in sustainable economic models for New Yorkers with lived-expertise, and centered in food businesses and growers that apply an equity framework to their operations.

Because shifting from charity to resiliency for low-income New Yorkers necessitates models that shift power structures and ownership of food access endeavors from large institutions to the expertise, passion, and existing networks of community leaders and food operations that adopt values-based practices. This means that we must:

• Advocate for policies that uplift food businesses that operate with values for their workers, land and consumers such as the Good Food Purchasing Program.
• Support legislation that provides funding for community led solutions that are led by individuals with lived expertise through Community Food Project Grants, Food Justice Grants, SEED Funding and other best practices for funding community led food access endeavors from across the nation.
• Advocate for policies that incentivize good food jobs that provide great working conditions for food service workers and support food access in their communities.