by Alex Cardenas
A wave of NYC cooperatives is attempting to bring food justice to under-served communities with new business models and locally grown vegetables. A recent article in the New York Times describes several New York City-based co-ops and their business models, while also highlighting numerous efforts throughout the country to develop more of these food co-ops. Despite the best intentions of their founders, these co-op initiatives have not been met with eager reception they anticipated. Faulting issues of gentrification and cultural differences, many under-served communities continue to avoid participation in these co-ops, leading some initiatives to falter.
Other city initiatives to increase the availability of quality food stuffs throughout the city have met with more success. The New York City Coalition Against Hunger published a 2013 report that proposes “a plan to end hunger and ensure access to nutritious, affordable, and convenient food for all New Yorkers through a revamped food system that creates jobs, aids workers, bolsters businesses, and protects the environment.” Highlighted in the report was the City Council’s Food Retail Expansion for Health (FRESH) program, which provided both financial and zoning incentives to develop new grocery stores in identified areas of need. Since its inception in 2009, businesses have used the FRESH initiative to expand six grocery stores and create four new ones. With these programs and new stores come jobs andsubsidized fresh produce.
While some of the co-op business models mentioned in the New York Times article offer low-cost membership for those on public assistance, such discounted plans only account for a small percentage of co-op members. The City Council might want to consider a closer partnership between these co-ops and its need-based assistance programs to further both enterprises. Such a partnership between the City Council and food co-ops could help pay for membership costs, continue incentivizing the work of these co-ops through zoning, and help inform more communities about the benefits and availability of local food.
Sources
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/12/nyregion/as-neighborhoods-gentrify-co-ops-find-they-are-not-to-everyones-taste.html?ref=oembed
https://nyccah.org/files/Food%20Secure%20NYC%202018%20Plan_0.pdf
