How Private Sector Can Help Address NY State Food Insecurity

CGR provided project support to the New York University Stern Center for Sustainable Business’ FoodMap NY Initiative, funded by the Mother Cabrini Foundation and designed to explore how the private sector might help address food insecurity. With over 2.2 million New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity, FoodMap NY worked with a broad set of stakeholders across New York’s food system to research and identify opportunities for public-private partnerships in the areas of food production, food processing, food retail, public food assistance, food as medicine, and food finance to improve food security throughout the state.
Leveraging Private Sector Innovation for Food Security summarizes these research findings and highlights potential pilot projects. Examples of pilot projects include:

• A two-year pilot in Buffalo, NY, to demonstrate the business case for private health insurers and employers to provide healthy food as medicine, specifically Produce Prescriptions (PRx), as a benefit for plan members and employees at risk of chronic diseases from poor nutrition.
• A project plan to integrate NYS nutrition incentive program benefits directly onto SNAP EBT (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Electronic Benefits Transfer) cards through a digital point-of-use payment method, simplifying user experience, reducing barriers to uptake, and increasing the purchase and consumption of fruits and vegetables.
• A pilot to introduce a “ready to heat” or “ready to cook” product line at dollar and convenience stores in Upstate New York, capitalizing on growing demand for healthy, affordable food options from lower-income shoppers.

For nearly two years, CGR coordinated and supported six working groups across the state, managed workflow, assisted with research, facilitated cross-team communication, and helped to edit and draft a series of reports, released by the Stern Center in November 2024. The Stern Center team is seeking funding to develop collabora­tions with regional food finance efforts, broaden stakeholder engagement, conduct further research and outreach, build collaboration between philan­thropy and impact investors, and mobilize capital investment statewide.
 
Reports Include:
Summary Report:

• Leveraging Private Sector Innovation for Food Security

Individual Project Reports:

• Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA)
• Supply Chain & Infrastructure
• Healthy Food in Retail Environments
• Food and Nutrition Assistance
• Food as Medicine
• Food Finance

For additional information, please contact Alice Carle.

December 10, 2024 CGR Briefs Edition