Across New York City, food system inclusivity is foundational to building healthier neighborhoods and a flourishing city life. And that\u2019s not unique to the Big Apple: Food policy is central to urban well-being in any and every city\u2014and both public and private institutions have a role to play.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t talk about food and climate and health without talking about culture and community and connection,\u201d Siddhartha Sanchez, Executive Director of the New York City Mayor\u2019s Office of Food Policy, said during a Climate Week NYC Summit, \u201cPeople-Focused. Climate-Friendly. Food-Forward New York City.\u201d The event was co-hosted by Food Tank in partnership with Support + Feed, Strong Roots, and the NYC Mayor\u2019s Office.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Watch the livestream recording on Food Tank\u2019s YouTube channel<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFood connects us. And it\u2019s what makes this city so amazing,\u201d says Helen Arteaga, New York City Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services. \u201cFood not only nourishes our bodies but also nourishes our minds, (and) more importantly, makes us share our stories.\u201d<\/p>\n In terms of civic institutions that can drive change, schools are among the most powerful\u2014both as sites for food system education and as incubators for innovative solutions that can be scaled up once they\u2019re proven successful.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe hope that the healthy eating habits that they\u2019re learning early on carry into adulthood,\u201d says Brittany Saffold, Director of Partnerships, Communication, and Retention with New York City Public Schools. \u201cHow do we take something that\u2019s happening at one school and put it citywide?\u201d<\/p>\n At the Climate Week Summit, for example, students from Francis Lewis Culinary High School prepared climate-friendly recipes for attendees to try and gave an overview of the process of creating meals for events.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t just learn about cooking; we learn about food preparation and safety\u2014and all these experiences grow all of us as people,\u201d one student says.\u00a0<\/p>\n And getting the next generation of chefs and urban food system leaders engaged requires creativity.<\/p>\n \u201cGen Z wants delicious food that\u2019s also good for the planet and on the right mission,\u201d says Emma Curtis, Managing Director of Strong Roots. \u201cBrands have got to do a good job at making it exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n Artists can also drive important, exciting change. During the Summit at Climate Week, attendees were able to view a special pop-up exhibition of a project by illustrator Kevin Nakagawa to spotlight food memories in residential facilities for New Yorkers with disabilities, alongside Open Doors. You can view a video on the project here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you listen to community, you not only hear the direct impact policies have on community but the lived reality of someone that\u2019s failed by the system,\u201d Sanchez said. \u201cFolks have endless ideas, and the job of the government is to listen.\u201d<\/p>\n Or, take Maggie Baird as an example. She\u2019s the Founder and President of Support + Feed and the mother of artists Billie Eilish and Finneas.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we book a tour, we tell arenas upfront what our requirements are, and some of those are at least three plant-based mains,\u201d she said. \u201cI feel like my life is so much better for being a plant-based eater \u2026 I think we need to share that joy and help people understand it\u2019s not about what you take away; it\u2019s what you add in.\u201d<\/p>\n Even though they\u2019re often disregarded, institutions like prisons are connected to the food system, too and have significant procurement power.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do everything we can with the resources that we have,\u201d says Norman Priester, Executive Director of the Nutrition Service Division at the NYC Department of Correction. \u201cSourcing locally is always our priority when possible. \u2026 It provides the healthiest options.\u201d<\/p>\n This is city life: Complex, but an environment where real change is possible with cross-disciplinary partnerships and engaged consumers.<\/p>\n \u201cBe curious about your food environment,\u201d says Ora Kemp, Senior Policy Advisor at the New York City Mayor\u2019s Office of Food Policy. \u201cIt\u2019s all unique to the land that you\u2019re on.\u201d<\/p>\n Explore\u00a0the entire Food Tank event schedule<\/a>\u00a0during Climate Week NYC 2026, and live-stream every Summit on FoodTank.com and\u00a0Food Tank\u2019s YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n