Task force to city: More indoor feeding sites needed for homeless

BY CATHERINE LUCEY, Daily News Staff Writer
Posted: August 31, 2012

MAYOR NUTTER will have to beef up Philly's indoor-feeding sites if he wants to move meals for the hungry out of city parks, according to a new report.

Nutter - who last month was blocked by a judge from banning outdoor feeding of the needy - received recommendations Wednesday from a task force charged with reviewing how to provide more indoor-feeding options.

The report said that if more resources and infrastructure went to indoor-meal providers, that would provide enough capacity to feed the estimated 33 to 129 people served on Center City streets each day.

"We have an issue around capacity and infrastructure in the city," said Commissioner of Behavioral Health Arthur Evans, who chaired the task force. "We need to build up that capacity."

The report gave other recommendations, including helping people get more social services and assigning a city staffer to oversee feeding efforts.

Nutter said he had no clear time frame for implementing the recommendations, nor did he provide a cost estimate. But he said he hoped to quickly assign a staffer to oversee the work on this issue.

"I want results," Nutter said. "I want action."

Nutter came under fire earlier this year for announcing a ban on feeding the homeless in city parks. A federal judge blocked the administration from enforcing the rule after four religious groups filed suit, but the judge has encouraged cooperation.

The administration is appealing the ruling.

Contact Catherine Lucey at luceyc@phillynews.com or 215-854-4172. Follow her on Twitter @PhillyClout. Read her blog at phillyclout.com.

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