The task force charged with studying the city’s options for feeding the homeless laid out its recommendations in a report issued this week, and Mayor Michael Nutter said his administration is prepared to put them in place.

“Our commitment is to implement these recommendations, to deal with the core areas that have been identified, and to move the city forward and to take every one of our most vulnerable citizens with us,” Nutter said.

The 59-page report, released Wednesday afternoon, laid out five recommendations.

It urged the city to: establish consensus and capacity as it moved to deal with hunger; increase food access and options for the homeless; expand infrastructure, and help private providers feed more people and increase access to indoor feeding spaces for providers and the homeless.

The list of recommendations was intended to provide a comprehensive approach to a problem city officials described as complex — and which involved more than just hunger.

Noting that on average 200 people a day — and sometimes as many as 300 people — rely on meals provided by charitable organizations, Arthur Evans, commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services who chaired the task force, said the problem is not limited to capacity.

“We have enough physical capacity in the city today to address that number,” he said. “But one of the reasons we’ve tried to lay out the core issues is, we don’t believe the solution is simply to add capacity. If that were the issue, I think the city would have resolved the issue a long time ago.”

Homelessness and hunger are often related to much larger economic and health issues, he said.

As a first step the mayor said he would name a point person within the administration to coordinate the effort — a joint initiative between the city and private entities that feed the homeless.

“I’m going to read the report, talk about it more, understand the recommendations, and then I’m going to focus my time on trying to identify who that is, where they’ll be situated and how we better address these issues at the highest level of government,” he said.

Because he received the report less than an hour before its public release, Nutter said it was too early to discuss specifically how his administration would move to handle the recommendations.

The mayor declined to be drawn into a discussion of an ongoing lawsuit between the city and several groups that feed the homeless, saying his priority this week was digesting the new report and moving to make the homeless get the help they need.

“The court matter is the court matter,” he said. “I’m not over in court. I’m focusing my time and effort in the streets of this city. I don’t want to get distracted on that particular matter.”

Homeless advocates sued the city to overturn Nutter’s executive order, issued in March, that banned large-scale feeding of the homeless outside. Violators faced fines of up to $150. Earlier this month, federal Judge William Yohn Jr., issued a temporary ruling against the order, allowing the continued serving of outdoor meals until he could issue a final ruling in the case.

In the wake of the dispute that led to the suit, Nutter seated the task force to find ways to feed the homeless that might placate both sides.

In addition to Evans, it included members Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who has spearheaded opposition to the ban; Salomon Vazquez of Connect Church; Bill McMillan with Sunday Breakfast Mission; Bill Golderer, Broad Street Ministry; Adam Bruckner, Philly Restart; Bill Clark, Philabudance; Jay Lewis Felton, Mt Airy C.O.G.I.C.; Joseph Rogers, Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania (MHASP); Joye Presson, Office of Supportive Housing; Mary Horstmann, Mayor’s Office; and Bia Viera, Philadelphia Foundation.

Contact staff writer Eric Mayes at (215) 893-5742 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

In celebration of its ninth anniversary, local organization Mothers in Charge recently held the “Commemoration of Peace, Mothers Still Standing” event at Penn’s Landing Caterers, located at 1301 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd. in South Philadelphia.

Dorothy Johnson-Speight, whose 24-year-old son was murdered in 2001, founded Mothers in Charge. The organization’s mission is aimed for violence prevention, education and intervention and community advocacy.

On May 15, Mothers in Charge gathered to reflect on accomplishments, and honor and recognize various individuals and organizations and welcome Roxanna Green.

Green is the mother of slain 9-year-old Christina TaylorGreen, who was killed at the shooting at a political rally involving Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords on January 8, 2011. Green was honored by her invitation from Johnson-Speight to attend the Mothers in Charge event.

“I knew it was going to be a great thing because we have the same values and mission,” Green said. “Our foundation is focused on youth and it’s all the same — stopping violence; we hope to do things in the future together and somehow partner.”

She started a foundation called, “The Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Foundation,” to honor the life of her daughter through charitable and educational projects.

Green, author of “As Good as She Imagined: The Redeeming Story of the Angel of Tucson,” wrote this book as an inspirational piece for anyone who is going through a difficult time. Writing her book became a part of her grieving process.

“It was so therapeutic,” she said.

Johnson-Speight and Mothers in Charge was pleased to have Green in attendance and available for book signings.

“She and I made it a pledge we would work together in the future,” Johnson-Speight said. “I think the key is going to be, to organize those efforts on a national basis — our goal next year is to have a national platform for our 10th anniversary.”

Of those honored at the event was, Commissioner Dr. Arthur Evans and Bill Hart, executive director of the R.I.S.E (Reintegration Services for Ex-offenders).

“We do a lot of programs in the prisons,” Johnson-Speight said.

Both Johnson-Speight and Green agree it is important to build relationships and have community members involved in these efforts.

“I would encourage women and men to find people in your community and city — it has been therapeutic and powerful,” Green said. “I think about how Christina was such a happy child; she wouldn’t want me to be moping.”

To get involved with Mothers in Charge or the Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Foundation, visit mothersincharge.org and www.christina-taylorgreen.org.