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From Staff Reports
HARRISBURG -- Food banks, pantries, shelters and soup kitchens across Pennsylvania have the opportunity to apply for $2.5 million in funding through round two of the Emergency Food Assistance Program Reach and Resiliency grants.
In September, the state awarded more than $1.6 million to 39 food banks, pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens across Pennsylvania in the first round of TEFAP Reach and Resiliency Grants.
"No one should go hungry in a state with the wealth and bounty we have in Pennsylvania," said Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding. "But far too often families do not know where their next meal is coming from and they need our help. Expanding the capacity of local organizations to supply fresh, healthy food to families in need is just one part of a broad Shapiro Administration strategy to work toward a healthier, more food-secure Pennsylvania."
TEFAP Reach and Resiliency Grants are awarded to organizations distributing USDA Foods through TEFAP contracts with the state, county, or a county-designated Lead Agency.
Funded projects include expanded cold storage, warehouse space and equipment, delivery vehicles for food distribution, and other investments that expand TEFAP's reach into isolated or underserved rural or low-income communities.
Full grant guidelines are published in the Oct. 14 edition of the PA Bulletin.
Apply online through the Department of Community and Economic Development's Single Electronic Application. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8.
According to Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap, in 2022, more than 1.1 million Pennsylvanians, or 8.9% of everyone in the state, and 13% of our children, may not know the source of their next meal.
The Governor's 2023-24 budget includes:
• $46.5 million in funding to provide free breakfast to all of Pennsylvania's 1.7 million public school students and free lunch to all 22,000 Pennsylvania students who are eligible for reduced-price lunches through the National School Lunch Program;
• $2 million to fund the Fresh Food Financing Initiative that will contribute to better health outcomes by improving access to PA-grown, processed, and produced foods; and
• $2 million increase to the State Food Purchase Program to provide state funds for emergency food assistance for low-income Pennsylvanians, connect surplus food donated by farmers through the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System to food banks and food pantries statewide, and connect low-income seniors to Senior Food Boxes filled with nutritious dietary staples.
Find food banks, pantries and other resources in your area, plus information on food insecurity and what you can do to help or find help at agriculture.pa.gov/foodsecurity.