Metropolitan New York Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty

An estimated 2.3 million Jewish and Muslim Americans live in New York State. Approximately 35% of Jewish Americans keep kosher or prefer consuming kosher food, and 83% of Muslim Americans keep halal or prefer consuming halal food. Data suggest a significant number of these New Yorkers are at risk of food insecurity. One-third of all Muslim American families live near or below the poverty line, and more than a quarter of Jewish Americans have trouble paying for essential bills, including medical care, housing, and food. In 2022, NYHealth awarded Metropolitan New York Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty (Met Council) a grant to build a coalition of emergency food providers and other stakeholders to make the case for a State policy agenda that supports a culturally responsive and equitable emergency food system. In 2024, NYHealth awarded Met Council a grant formalize a statewide coalition to advocate for and implement policies that improve access to healthy food for food-insecure New Yorkers with religious dietary needs, including kosher and halal needs. 

Under this grant, Met Council will advocate for and implement recommendations developed from its statewide survey to improve access to healthy kosher and halal foods. It will form a coalition of food pantry providers and other stakeholders across the State to share best practices; build a framework for setting and advocating for policy priorities; and develop and implement a policy agenda to improve kosher and halal procurement, purchasing, and distribution.