The City of Raleigh’s initial meeting to address Moore Square food distribution alternatives will be held at 7 p.m., Monday, September 16 in the Zanzibar A&B Room of Marbles Kids Museum, 201 E. Hargett Street.
The sole focus of the meeting and the group’s subsequent meetings will be finding alternates to Moore Square and any other City park for the distribution of food. Businesses, faith-based organization, non-profit agencies, residents and government staff are invited to attend.
This meeting is being held in the City administration’s effort to comply with the City Council’s directive regarding addressing the food distribution issue. At its September 3 meeting the City Council voted unanimously to re-engage the Community-Oriented Government group to:
• Widen the circle of participating agencies, including Wake County;
• Reach out and invite all community and faith-based groups to participate in the discussion to find solutions to problems associated with food distribution in Moore Square;
• Develop specific action steps and recommendations to be reported to the Law and Public Safety Committee at the committee’s November 26 meeting.
In the interim, the City Council directed that the City’s policy regarding Moore Square not be changed, meaning:
• There will be no enforcement or arrests for any food distribution activity;
• Continue educating food providers about restrictions in the park and sidewalks;
• Identify alternate sites that will allow groups to provide food to those in need by:
1. Concentrating on sites in the vicinity of where those in need congregate;
2. Exploring Wake County facilities that already are providing services to those in need;
3. Exploring facilities owned by churches and other organizations that may accommodate outside groups safely; and,
4. Working with the City’s existing partners to identify alternate sites.
• Once alternate sites have been secured, offer groups wanting to serve food to the needy alternatives to Moore Square; and,
• Ask food distribution operations to move out of Moore Square only when a permitted activity/event is scheduled to be held in the park.
The City Council action waives permit fees in Moore Square during this interim only for food distribution to the needy.
For more information, contact Community-Oriented Government Coordinator Dana Youst at 919-996-6688 or dana.youst@raleighnc.gov
