Hunger advocates applauded today’s announcement by Mayor Bloomberg and Council Speaker Quinn that the Mayor’s office would be hiring a full-time employee and creating a task force to focus on food policy issues.

Said Joel Berg, executive director of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, “We are thrilled that the City will now have a point person and a task force to help break through bureaucratic hurdles to better coordinate food programs across City agency lines. We’ve been calling for such improved coordination for years. Given our new survey showing hunger skyrocketing across the five boroughs, as well as our recent report demonstrating that many low-income neighborhoods lack access to nutritious foods, these news steps couldn’t have come at a better time. We thank Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn for creating a coordination function that will serve as a new tool to boost nutrition and reduce hunger citywide. Now we hope this tool is used effectively.”

Berg is joining with leading New Yorkers today, including Congressman Anthony Weiner, in events at feeding programs in Brooklyn and Queens to continue the release of the City’s most comprehensive annual study of hunger. This year’s survey, “Hunger Hangs On: NYC Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens Still Overwhelmed,” details how the number of people forced to use the city’s pantries and kitchens continues to increase despite recent gains in the stock market.

To interview Berg about the survey and/or the announcement by the Mayor and the Speaker, media can attend one of these two events:

12:30 pm – Release of Brooklyn-specific findings; People will be receiving meals on site.
At St. Rita’s, 275 Shepherd Ave., Brooklyn (East New York); Speakers will include: Joel Berg, Executive Director, New York City Coalition Against Hunger; Monsignor Peyton, St. Rita’s parish.

2:30 pm – Release of Queens-specific findings; People will be receiving meals on site later that day.
At Glenridge Senior Citizen Multiservice Center, 59-03 Summerfield St., Queens (Ridgewood)
Speakers will include: Joel Berg, Executive Director, New York City Coalition Against Hunger; Congressman Anthony Weiner, Susan Simonetti, Director, Glenridge Senior Center.