FRESH

 by Mark Foggin, Public Sector Strategy Consultant and Freelance Writer

Thomas Farley, MD, MPH, became commissioner of the New York City Department of Health in May. It was not his first stint at DOH. He spent nearly two years advising then-commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden in 2007 and 2008. Dr. Farley was also chair of the Department of Community Health Sciences at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. He has conducted research and published articles on a wide range of topics, including obesity. Dr. Farley also coauthored, with RAND Senior Scientist Deborah Cohen, Prescription for a Healthy Nation (Beacon Press), which describes the logical and business aspects of Americans’ access to unhealthy food. 

Dr. Thomas Farley: If you look at the leading causes of death in New York City—heart disease, cancer, diabetes—many are tied to how we eat. Probably the Number One behavior that affects our health is smoking. But Number Two is getting people to eat healthy foods.

by Kristin Pederson 

The City Planning Commission unanimously approved the Food Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH ) on September 23, 2009. By doing so, the way was cleared for the City Council to vote on the program, which it must do by November 24th.

Before the City Planning Commission could make its decision, the proposal was reviewed in several venues. Since May 18th community boards, borough boards, and the borough presidents have had the opportunity to comment. Additionally, there was a public hearing on August 5th.

Community boards in particular, within such workings of local government, are the topic of the October FSNYC Open Networking meeting. Each borough is divided into community boards, each consisting of 50 members and staffed by a district manager. Throughout the City there are 59 boards, who are given an advisory role in land use and zoning changes, the City budget, municipal service delivery, and other matters of community importance. In fact, any issue that can arise within the community is supposed to be covered by one of the sub-committees of the board.

Board members are appointed by borough presidents, with the advice of City Council members from the board area. They are limited to roles of advocacy and coordination, but are held to represent the best interest of their communities.

By Loren Talbot with Lynn Fredericks

A unified city and state response to the city’s food deserts has emerged with the introduction of the state run Healthy Food/Healthy Communities Initiative and FRESH (Food Retail Expansion to Support Health), a new citywide program.  On May 16th Governor Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn announced both funding and legislation to help the establishment of supermarkets in underserved neighborhoods within the five boroughs.  The legislation coincided with the release of recommendations by The Food Trust and The New York Supermarket Commission, a coalition convened by The Food Trust, the Food Policy Coordinator for the City of New York, the Food Bank for New York City, the Food Industry Alliance of New York State, and the United Way of New York City with representatives from labor groups, public health advocates, supermarkets and financial institutions as well as city and state agencies.