New York City is facing criticism for paying for meals that are meant to feed migrants but end up being wasted and thrown away. Internal company records reviewed by The New York Times reveal that DocGo, a medical services company with no prior experience in migrant care, is receiving thousands of dollars a month for uneaten meals. From Oct. 22 to Nov. 10, over 70,000 meals were recorded as “wasted,” costing taxpayers approximately $776,000. This amounts to about $39,000 a day or over $1 million a month. The city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, which oversees DocGo’s contract, claims that the company has started ordering fewer meals to reduce waste. However, City Councilwoman Gale Brewer criticizes the wastefulness, especially as the city is making budget cuts in other areas. Some migrants have reported getting sick or encountering quality issues with the meals. DocGo officials deny any intentional overbilling and state that 93% of the food is being consumed. However, internal company documents show specific accounts of thousands of uneaten meals being thrown away. The company’s attempts to improve the food quality have seemingly had little effect.
