Statement Attributed to Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO, Feeding America
Feeding America applauds the announcement of $1 billion in additional funding for emergency food assistance by the Biden administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). These funds will help address the extraordinary need for food assistance in communities across the country as the charitable food system is experiencing declining resources.
This investment comes at a crucial time. Food insecurity in the U.S. rose again in 2023 when 47.4 million people—1 in 7 people, including 1 in 5 children—experienced food insecurity. Families and individuals experiencing hunger are working to secure access to fresh, healthy food to thrive, and these investments will provide critical resources for food banks who are ready to assist them. In support of neighbors, food banks have been operating under heightened need, with increased food purchase and transportation costs. Food programs for seniors and Native and tribal communities have been impacted by supply chain issues. Now, as communities begin to recover from Hurricane Helene, food banks are providing short-term and long-term disaster response and support.
The USDA will provide $500 million for additional food purchases for emergency food providers like food banks, along with $500 million for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program for states, tribes and territories to purchase foods for their emergency food systems from local growers.
Feeding America is grateful to the USDA for its continued commitment to hunger relief. We must all come together alongside community members facing hunger and support strong, common-sense policies for a food-secure future. This is an ongoing, collaborative effort that will require additional support from the administration and Congress, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Today’s announcement is a wonderful investment in American communities, and we urge Congress to pass a farm bill that strengthens nutrition programs like TEFAP and brings us closer to being a food-secure nation.
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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 X.com.