Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Three free meals available daily for any New Yorker

schools.nyc.gov

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

121–130 of 494 posts

Re: Three free meals available daily for any New Yorker

#121

Post by gshdg »

DiffEq wrote: post #80
tren-hard wrote: post #18

One of those things I wish could out last this virus. We'd be so much better off as a society if we could at least keep our people fed. The comments in here seem a little negative currently but this is great news. Think of all the people in NYC who didn't have access to clean and regular food before the virus.

With more people obese than not in this country, keeping people well fed is not a problem that we have.

Obesity in this country is closely linked to poverty. The foods that people in poverty have access to (because of cost but also because of food deserts) offer excessive calories but poorly balanced nutrition.

That means that people are obese but at the same time essentially starving to death from lack of nutrients. Which causes more food cravings that people are able to attempt to satiate only with more food with poor nutritive value.

Re: Three free meals available daily for any New Yorker

#122

Post by 3fe9a03ccd14ca5 »

Loughla wrote: post #64
collyw wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you get food banks in the US?

Yes we do, but they are charities, and generally related to religious organizations. My experience with homelessness and lgbt issues taught me that relying on the charity of others, and not a formal social safety net, will only drive marginalized people further to the margins. Relying on someone else wanting to feel good about themselves to get what you need to survive isn't a good model.

I’m sorry you feel this way. The food bank I’ve volunteered with “in order to feel good at myself” literally just puts a bag of groceries in your trunk, or as much as you can carry.

Re: Three free meals available daily for any New Yorker

#123

Post by brewdad »

throwaway55554 wrote: post #88
gwbas1c wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but they usually rely on donations. Also, a lot of needy children get their primary meals at school.

Indeed. Our local school system has implemented a drive by food pickup so that the children and their family can pick up food.

Our district has been doing pick-up but mainly at the larger middle schools and high schools. Starting next week they will also be running a bus route through neighborhoods where kids can get lunch delivered between 10 and noon.

I'm not sure how well it will work, but it at least shows an understanding that not all families can get to the handful of schools that are offering meals.

Re: Three free meals available daily for any New Yorker

#124

Post by geofft »

programmernews3 wrote: post #79
JackPoach wrote: post #11

NYC today, everywhere else in a few days/weeks. Without universal basic income, we are totally f@cked. 30-40% of people are without income and it's either soup kitchens and spike in crime, or UBI.

At least if they implement UBI then the need to build the wall on the border will increase. You cant give away money for free and NOT have strong borders.

There aren't an infinite amount of non-Americans, and they're not all arriving tomorrow. You can figure out what expected growth is and account for it.

Re: Three free meals available daily for any New Yorker

#125

Post by [deleted] »

Hello71 wrote: post #95
jsonne wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As of 2018 40 million Americans received more than 57 billion dollars in SNAP. It seems like largely the US has been and will continue to keep people fed. Note also that this is just 1 Federal program and doesn't mention the multitude of other state level and city level programs that exist as well as private charities, religious organizations, etc. Please note I am not saying the system is perfect, shouldn't be expan…

and yet according to the USDA, "11.1 percent of households were food insecure at least some time during the year, including 4.3 percent (5.6 million households) that had very low food security".

[deleted]

Re: Three free meals available daily for any New Yorker

#126

Post by jefftk »

Hello71 wrote: post #95
jsonne wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As of 2018 40 million Americans received more than 57 billion dollars in SNAP. It seems like largely the US has been and will continue to keep people fed. Note also that this is just 1 Federal program and doesn't mention the multitude of other state level and city level programs that exist as well as private charities, religious organizations, etc. Please note I am not saying the system is perfect, shouldn't be expan…

and yet according to the USDA, "11.1 percent of households were food insecure at least some time during the year, including 4.3 percent (5.6 million households) that had very low food security".

"food insecure" may be a relatively low bar: it looks like it includes "reports of reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet. Little or no indication of reduced food intake." https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/fo...

Re: Three free meals available daily for any New Yorker

#127

Post by jshevek »

Zenst wrote: post #67
blisterpeanuts wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps it would make more sense to offer kosher rather than halal, since Muslims accept kosher, whereas Jews don't accept halal (because not blessed by a rabbi, I believe).

http://dpointernational.com/the-differences-between-halal-ko...

If you disagree with the parent, you could courteously exert the small effort to explain why directly and briefly.

Re: Three free meals available daily for any New Yorker

#128

Post by anthonypasq »

NovemberWhiskey wrote: post #69
adrianN wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most vegetarian meals should be kosher, right? And I believe there are exceptions for unusual circumstances in the rules.

Uh no. One of the primary reasons why kosher is more expensive and logistically difficult than some other dietary requirements are the requirements for separation of kitchen space, rules around treatment of utensils and so on.

no one making vegetarian food is going to use utensils that have touched meat.

So I dont see how vegetarian food could not be kosher. Am i missing something?

Re: Three free meals available daily for any New Yorker

#130

Post by 3fe9a03ccd14ca5 »

Frost1x wrote: post #62
collyw wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you get food banks in the US?

We have food banks in the US. Many are under heavy stress right now from what I understand. At least one food bank near me has already expressed needs for donations through local media sources.

The sad reality is that the supply chain is all messed up and there’s weird expectations still with food banks. For example, I can’t take my 50 lb bag of rice and divide it up into 5 lb bags because of food safety issues and regulations. So rather than getting a huge shipment of some grain and doing that, they’re stuck scrounging for the small stuff.

They’re also still tossing expired foods even though Best By dates are largely irrelevant.

Post reply on HN