Kathryn Garcia oversees a cross-agency effort charged with two Herculean goals—ensuring that every New Yorker in need has access to food and that the city's food supply remains strong.
As the number of novel coronavirus cases in New York City mounted towards the end of March, New York City mayor Bill De Blasio appointed Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia to be the city’s COVID-19 Food Czar. Under Garcia, the city has made impressive strides. In just the last month, the city’s 400 Department of Education Meal Hubs have offered any New Yorker in need three meals a day.
Andrea Strong: Before we get into the nitty gritty, I'd love to know a little about you. Where did you grow up and go to school? We have also spent a lot of time thinking about how to ensure that as we go through this we keep that supply chain strong.That means making sure that food can continue to come into New York City. Ninety percent of our food comes into our city by truck. To support these workers, and get them the rest they need, we have opened two rest areas for long haul truckers, one is in Staten Island and another is at Hunts Point. KG: Yes.
AS: The restaurant business is an industry that has been completely decimated. Are you involved in supporting this community at all? If so, how? What is also different about New York City is that we are a city of pedestrians. We would never be able to do what I have seen in other cities, which is food being dropped off in big parking lots to people who stay in their cars. It’s a lot easier to socially distance when you are driving up and someone puts a box in your car. But we have a lot of taxi drivers who have been able to help with deliveries, which has been great.
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