Statement Attributed to Vince Hall, Chief Government Relations Officer
“Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, applauds the U.S. Department of Agriculture for providing grants to more than two dozen states, territories and tribes to help them fight hunger in their communities by purchasing locally produced food and distributing it to food banks and other organizations.
“In 2021, 1 in 6 people in the U.S. sought help from the charitable food sector. Today, many members of the Feeding America nationwide network of 200 food banks, 21 statewide associations and 60,000 faith-based and nonprofit partner food pantries and meal programs are seeing sustained or increased need.
“These much-needed additional food sourcing dollars will support both local producers and food banks. Amid elevated grocery prices, supply chain disruptions and other challenges, food banks are struggling to provide enough food to all community members in need.
“Through this ongoing initiative, the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, USDA is awarding up to $400 million for food purchases across the country. The latest grantees, California, Delaware and Pennsylvania, were announced this week. We thank Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for his leadership in establishing this program and investing in our nation’s emergency food supply. His visit to the Yolo Food Bank in Woodland, California, further underscored USDA’s commitment to supporting food banks and the people they serve.
“This investment is a critical new tool in helping to bolster food security across the U.S. Feeding America looks forward to working with USDA to move more nutritious food from farmers to food banks to families facing hunger.”
Contact
Please contact one of our media representatives or call 800-771-2303
About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.3 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
