In a public hearing this week, Pittsburgh City Council members and activists called for the creation of a $10 million “food justice fund” using American Rescue Plan Act dollars, though the Mayor’s Office said that federal funding isn’t available for such an initiative.

Councilwoman Deb Gross late last year sponsored legislation calling for a smaller amount of covid-19 pandemic relief money to be used for a food justice fund. That effort was put on hold, but Gross seemed to revive the concept with a public hearing about food equity and urban agriculture, which saw nearly 30 Pittsburgh residents supporting the concept of a $10 million food justice fund.

Gross suggested using $10 million in federal covid relief dollars for the fund, which she said would be distributed over four years .

The measure had wide support from residents and “food justice” advocates who spoke at the hearing, with many saying the cash could bolster existing grassroots efforts to create urban gardens and provide easy, affordable access to fresh foods.

“Creating a food justice fund is an investment in racial equity, in personal health and well-being for residents across our city,” Sam Applefield said, representing the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council.

Teaira Collins, a Hill District resident who sits on the Pittsburgh Food Policy Board of Directors, said healthy food has been integral for family. Her grandmother instilled in her an appreciation for healthy eating and fresh foods, she said, which became even more important when her daughter began suffering from health issues that made healthy eating paramount.

But Collins said not everyone realizes the importance of healthy eating, and not everyone has access to the fresh foods she cherishes.

In low-income communities, she said, easy access to fresh food could also lead to “less stress, (less) violence and less children being hungry.”

Jamie Christian, founder and executive director of Lettuce Turnip the Beet Sustainability Collective, said people experiencing “food apartheid” have a 255% higher chance of facing mental health issues than those with easy, affordable access to food.

“Food security and access to food should be a top priority,” she said.

One in five Pittsburghers were deemed “food insecure” even before the covid-19 pandemic exacerbated hardships for many, said Denele Hughson, executive director of Grow Pittsburgh.

“We see the direct impact that inequities in the food system have on our communities and on city residents who struggle daily to make ends meet,” said Colleen Young, director of government affairs for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. “We also have seen during the pandemic that those who were hardest hit were often the same people who were already facing disproportionate food insecurity and low food access.”

Some bright spots

The public hearing also highlighted several efforts throughout the city that have already started to improve food access in Pittsburgh neighborhoods, like community gardens and grassroots initiatives to provide food to people in need.

“In Polish Hill this summer, we started planting a lot of fruit trees on a city-owned lot,” said Jack Stewart, of Polish Hill. “I can walk down the street every day and just pick paw-paws, figs, cherries, blackberries. I don’t see why the whole city doesn’t have things like this.”

Stewart was one of several people who highlighted how a $10 million infusion of cash could help such efforts grow, expand and remain sustainable for years to come.

“I think that Pittsburgh can be the healthiest city in America,” Councilwoman Erika Strassburger said. “It has to come, in part, from having healthy food access for every resident in the city, easily accessed and affordable.”

Councilwoman Deb Gross said she’s heard from community members and food equity leaders that food equity is linked to better educational and mental health outcomes for children, better health for city residents, a sense of community and job creation.

But is covid money available?

While the concept of a $10 million food justice fund was popular among the local leaders who addressed City Council this week, Mayor Ed Gainey’s office said it may not be immediately feasible.

Gross suggested using federal covid relief money for the initiative, but there isn’t an extra $10 million in ARPA funding to pay for it, said Maria Montaño, Gainey’s spokesperson.

Not all of the federal covid relief money has actually been spent, she said, but the prior administration already allocated all of those unspent funds to other projects. While there’s still money left in the fund, she said, all of it will be spent on projects that have already been designated.

“That money is already assigned to existing projects,” she said . “There is no additional $10 million in ARPA funds to do this.”

Still, Montaño said, the administration supports the idea of addressing food equity more robustly.

She suggested that federal Community Development Block Grant funding could be used to invest in food justice initiatives, and noted that the 2023 budget has money allocated for two new urban farmer positions.

“Food insecurity is a major issue in our city,” she said. “We’re open to a variety of ideas.”

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