Pittsburgh City Council looks to create food justice fund with $1.8M in pandemic relief money

Pittsburgh City Council is considering a proposal to use $1.8 million in federal pandemic relief money to create a food justice fund.

“We’re hoping to be able to invest in the kinds of businesses or nonprofits that are part of our food system,” said Councilwoman Deb Gross, who sponsored the legislation.

“That means anything from growing food, making food, distributing food, selling food — anything from a farm to a bakery business or a food kitchen or a food warehouse or a corner store in your neighborhood,” Gross said.

The federal pandemic relief money could be used for loans or grants to such businesses, Gross said. That could help new food-oriented businesses with startup costs or ensure such businesses or nonprofits have the equipment they need.

“We heard a lot of public comment, especially during covid, that our local supply chains and our local business infrastructure to support food activities and get food to people have gotten weaker, even before covid,” Gross said. “We see that especially exacerbated during covid. We have households in the city who have never experienced food insecurity before, now have experienced food insecurity.”

Councilman Anthony Coghill, a co-sponsor of the legislation, said the money is a good start toward putting more emphasis on food justice efforts.

“It was a mistake not funding it in the first place,” he said. “We decided to try to put it in there now. It’s really needed.”

Gross also sponsored a second piece of legislation calling on the Urban Redevelopment Authority to provide City Council with information on its programs supporting the city’s food system.

If approved, the URA would have 90 days to provide a report outlining job creation within the food industry, the number of food-related businesses the URA has supported, funds distributed to the city’s food system and technical assistance provided to food-related business.

City Council could include both proposals on its agenda for a preliminary vote next week, ahead of a possible final vote the following week.