MOTION-- HEALTH, EDUCATION, NEIGHBORHOOD - For years, the city has provided support for seniors in need of nutrition assistance through the Department of Aging. A network of Multipurpose Senior Centers, together with nonprofits and aid organizations, have helped to connect food supplies with people who need them the most. This network was already straining to meet the needs of food-insecure seniors, and the COVID-19 crisis has pushed that infrastructure beyond its capacity. In order to augment these programs and provide food security to far more of the most vulnerable people in our communities, and at the same Lime provide desperately needed economic support to struggling restaurants and their employees, many members of the City Council have already organized emergency programs and have used their own district-specific funds to purchase and distribute meals. These district-specific programs have made an enormous positive impact for thousands of people in need of food support.
A citywide program based in part on these successful models will create the ability to scale up these benefits substantially, helping even more seniors and more businesses and employees. A citywide program will also ensure the city's ability to be reimbursed by state and federal funding sources,
WE THEREFORE MOVE that the Council INSTRUCT the Department of Aging and the Department of Transportation to coordinate by utilizing existing databases and service providers to identify food insecure seniors and unmet need for food services, and to create a system of partnership between service providers and transportation services, particularly taxicab franchisees and the transit infrastructure.
WE FURTHER MOVE that the Council INSTRUCT the Department of Aging to work with each Councilmember [i] to identify any unmet senior meal needs that are the highest priorities for that Councilmember in serving the constituents of his or her district, (ii] to identify restaurants and other food service facilities in each district that would make good partners in securing a supply of quality foods and provide the greatest opportunity to preserve or create jobs, and (iii) to leverage existing programs, outreach and facilities with the goal of improving the city's ability to scale up senior meal delivery significantly and increase service to the most food insecure seniors in our community.
WE FURTHERMOVE that the Council INSTRUCT the Controller to establish a new line item within the General City Purposes account entitled "Senior Meal Delivery Enhancement."
WE FURTHER MOVE that the Council INSTRUCT the City Administrative Officer to transfer $25 million from Fund 48R, Building and Safety Permit Enterprise Fund, Department 08, Account 08S204, Reserve for Future Cost, to the General City Purposes account "Senior Meal Delivery Enhancement" line-item, with the understanding that these funds are a temporary loan to be repaid from future General Fund and/or State and federal funds for COVID-19 response.