Met Council Expands National Kosher and Halal Food Program in NYC

New York City’s renowned charity, the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, commonly known as the Met Council, is embarking on a national endeavor. The organization, which serves people from all backgrounds and has attracted prominent figures in New York politics to its events and fundraisers, is now extending its influence to the federal government. To diversify the availability of kosher and halal foods in food pantries across the nation, CEO David Greenfield spearheads this initiative.

While the federal government provides 200 food products to food pantries nationwide, only eight of them adhere to kosher or halal guidelines, following Jewish or Muslim dietary laws. A study conducted by the Met Council revealed that during the peak of the pandemic, 20% of food requests in New York City alone were for kosher or halal products. Additionally, rising food prices have fueled demand for food pantries both locally and nationally.

In an interview, CEO David Greenfield expressed, “Nothing is more vulnerable than someone who is struggling to feed themselves and their family. When you walk into a food pantry and you don’t find any items that you can eat, that’s very disheartening.”

New York City is home to approximately 1.6 million Jewish residents, the largest Jewish population of any city worldwide, as stated by UJA-Federation of New York CEO Eric Goldstein in November. Furthermore, according to the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, as of 2016, nearly 800,000 Muslims resided in New York City, which boasts one of the highest concentrations of mosques globally.

In May, the Department of Agriculture announced its commitment to prioritize “increasing commercially available kosher and halal foods” for Jewish and Muslim participants in its feeding programs as part of a national strategy to combat antisemitism. President Joe Biden, in the foreword of the study, emphasized the need for the program, citing “repeated episodes of hate — including numerous attacks on Jewish Americans” since the neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.

Greenfield, who previously served as a member of the City Council representing parts of southwest and south-central Brooklyn, attended a meeting with Department of Agriculture officials in late June and affirmed that his organization would assist the U.S. government in developing the program. He emphasized that it’s not primarily a matter of cost, but rather identifying reliable sources of food that meet religious requirements.

“Providing low-income identifiable Jewish and Muslim Americans with kosher and halal food is a way for the government to say: ‘You are welcome here in America, and we care about your needs,'” asserted Greenfield. “And I think that’s incredibly powerful.”

Met Council’s national expansion, boasting the largest kosher food pantry program in the United States, reflects its growth trajectory. Last year, the organization reached an unprecedented 305,000 individuals, its highest number to date. With its CEO and other leaders having political backgrounds, the food pantry organization is making substantial strides in lobbying and advocating for policy changes both locally and nationally.

“Jews and Muslims are present across the United States,” Greenfield affirmed. “Like any other American population, some of them are struggling, and they deserve culturally and religiously appropriate assistance when the government extends help. We consider this a nationwide movement.”