How COVID-19 ‘Laid The Food System Bare’ And What We Can Do Now

Perhaps one of the plus sides to all events shifting from in-person to online is that it’s easier than ever to catch something you may have missed.

A fascinating virtual town hall took place this week, led by Manhattan borough president Gale Brewer, that looked at how the coronavirus pandemic has exposed major dysfunctions in our food systems. 

If you missed the live discussion, you can now catch the video recording of the conversation and learn about how COVID-19 “has laid the food system bare,” as Mark Bittman, current Columbia Mailman School lecturer and former New York Times columnist, put it. 

“The people who are suffering most are the people who always suffer most,” Bittman said. “Without a food system that is geared toward protecting the land, toward supporting real farmers, and a regional food system which is resilient … we just can’t have a food system that feeds us all well.” 

If you’re involved with a nonprofit and want to help fill the hunger and food distribution gaps across the city, GetFoodNYC’s Emergency Food Program is seeking partners to help reach the goal of delivering 1 million meals per day. You can visit NYC.gov/nonprofits and apply by May 29.

You can also always donate to Food Bank for New York City, which is stepping up its efforts to help feed New Yorkers during the pandemic. 

And you can decrease dangers to the environment and meatpacking workers by decreasing your meat consumption. 

photo: iStock