Pennsylvania Provides $16 Million In Funding For State Food Banks

PENNSYLVANIA — The state will provide $16 million in funding to food banks in an effort to bolster their strained resources amid the coronavirus outbreak, officials announced.

With countless residents out of work and the economy in decline as the fight to contain the virus continues, food banks have become crucial resources for thousands who have had their most basic needs threatened.

Don't miss local and statewide announcements about coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

“COVID-19 has turned Pennsylvania upside down and forced thousands out of jobs as we work to flatten the curve, but we’re not willing to accept hunger as our next pandemic,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said in a statement. “We’ll do whatever we can to support our charitable food system, it’s a system that’s supporting hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians doing their part to slow the spread for the health of Pennsylvania.”

The funds come largely from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Emergency Food Assistance Program.

About $3.75 million of the funds will be disbursed directly to 18 different state food banks to cover administrative costs. Another $11.15 million will be distributed in meats, vegetables, canned goods, cereal, pasta, and more.

All 67 counties will receive a portion of the food and funding, officials said. Hunger-Free Pennsylvania, the state's largest food bank, will distribute the food based on the number of individuals in need in each area.

>>>Full coverage of coronavirus in Pennsylvania