WHEREAS, Food security is a harrowing, frightening issue in the City of Philadelphia. Philadelphia is currently tenth on the list of America’s Top Ten Hungriest Cities. A quarter of Philadelphia’s population lives at or below the poverty line, and nearly 19.3 percent of Philadelphians report that they are food insecure, according to a Hunger Free America study done in 2017; and
WHEREAS, In 2014, 21.7 percent of Philadelphians were food insecure. This means that 1 in 5 Philadelphians struggle to put food on the table for either themselves or their families. Food insecure households lack access to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members. Affordable, healthy food and drinking water reduce hunger, decrease diet-related diseases, and prolong life; and
WHEREAS, The staggering percentage of food insecure individuals in Philadelphia encompasses both children and adults. Numerous study indicate that children cannot learn without the proper nutrition that allows for necessary growth. Young children who live in households experiencing food insecurity are more likely to be in poor or fair health; experience problems with cognitive development; and exhibit behavioral and emotional problems; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia is home to more than 500 full-service restaurants in Center City alone, not including coffee and pastry shops, or fast food chains. The Philadelphia Streets Department reports nearly 240,609 tons of food waste per year at significant expense — with 78 percent of the waste coming from commercial locations; and
WHEREAS, Individual City Council members contribute to the fight against hunger in Philadelphia by collecting unused food and donating it to shelters, soup kitchens, and other appropriate organizations. With a food diversion tax credit, restaurants and local businesses would be incentivized to create new programs and accelerate existing programs that give back to the community and the city; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council of the City of Philadelphia authorizes Philadelphia City Council’s Committee on Finance to hold public hearings on a potential “Food Diversion Tax Credit” in the City of Philadelphia.
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