“Cafeteria Enhancement Experience”, a 50-million-dollar capital investment into lunch systems across New York City school programme was announced at Hillcrest High School. The program increases Halal food alternatives in all city's schools.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) in the city praised the Mayor's Office and the City Council. The civil rights organisation also urged the city to make the increase of Halal meals a continuous programme in the city's budget.
“Cafeteria Enhancement Experience" includes two components, the first is to improve the manner in which food is supplied, decreasing the chance of long queues and going for a self-service method. The second component is an increase in eating options, particularly halal meals.
79 schools are currently Halal-certified with any institution having the opportunity to participate. Food is prominently labelled with a (H), indicating that Imams have examined it and taught school workers to guarantee there is no cross-contamination.
Executive director of CAIR-NY Afaf Nasher said:
Every student, regardless of faith, deserves a lunch that meets their religious guidelines. For too long, Muslim students have been forced to either skip lunch or eat a non-religiously permissible lunch. CAIR-NY welcomes the expansion of halal lunch options to more schools and efforts to improve the school lunch experience.
