HR0320LRB103 32544 LAW 62128 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives recognize that food waste production in
4Illinois is high; the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
5reports that 19 million tons of waste is landfilled in
6Illinois every year, and of that, food waste accounts for as
7much as 20%, which is more than any other single waste stream
8found in landfills across the State; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic intensified food
10insecurity, and the State now faces unprecedented levels of
11hunger; Feeding America reports that, in Illinois,
12approximately 1,201,290 people are facing hunger, of which
13315,330 are children; the average cost of a meal in Illinois is
14$3.58, while the State's minimum wage is currently $13 per
15hour; the rise in the cost of living due to inflation means
16that families have to depend on community-based and mutual aid
17organizations to fill gaps in nourishment to sustain
18themselves daily; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The increasing number of grocery store closures
20across the State of Illinois have exacerbated food insecurity;
21in November 2022, a Whole Foods in Chicago's Englewood
22neighborhood closed its doors just 6 years after opening;
23similarly, two Aldi locations in Chicago closed their doors

 

 

HR0320- 2 -LRB103 32544 LAW 62128 r

1abruptly, claiming crime and theft as reasons for closing;
2these sudden closures create food deserts in communities
3already facing limited resources, forcing residents to travel
4longer distances to visit a grocery store; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The demand for food exceeds the available supply
6in high-need, low-income communities; the Greater Chicago Food
7Depository provided 77.3 million meals in 2022, a 25% increase
8compared to pre-pandemic times; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has no existing framework
10to deal with food waste production fit for human consumption
11to alleviate food insecurity; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
13HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we urge the State of Illinois to develop policies to reduce
15food waste and address increasing food insecurity.