PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council President wants to create a new office in the city government focused on food and nutrition. It’s one of several measures he proposed as part of legislation he introduced at Thursday’s City Council meeting to improve security.
Johnson said the measures are inspired by the city’s high poverty rate and the removal of federal safety nets to prevent hunger.
“We have leadership in Washington D.C. that has taken thousands of individuals off the SNAP benefit rolls, which means you will have thousands of families here in the city of Philadelphia who will be food insecure because they will not have any more SNAP benefits starting October the first,” he said.
The council president proposed a charter change to create the Office of Food and Nutrition Security, and a Food and Nutrition Security Commission to guide its work.
He also called for hearings on opening city-supported grocery stores, and on technology such as “surveillance pricing” that can raise the cost of products while customers are still shopping. City Council approved both of the proposed hearings.
“We’re working to make sure that no children go to bed hungry, no children go to school hungry,” said Johnson.
One is a proposed charter change to create the Office of Food and Nutrition Security at the city.
One is a proposed charter change to create the Office of Food and Nutrition Security at the city.
