USDA Awards Grants to Support the Nation's Emergency Feeding Network
Investments to Expand Capacity and Infrastructure of Food Assistance Providers
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2010 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced grant awards supporting food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens to improve and expand their capacity and infrastructure. Awards totaling approximately $6 million and funded through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Infrastructure Grant program, will help the Nation's emergency feeding network meet the needs of the increasing numbers of people turning to food pantries and soup kitchens to feed their families in these tough economic times.
"Organizations like food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens are critical to ensuring that the most vulnerable Americans have access to quality, nutritious foods, especially during difficult economic times," said Vilsack. "With the help of these grants, many of the recipient organizations will be able help more individuals and families to access healthy food."
Nearly $3.3 million will be awarded to 19 organizations in 17 states which primarily serve rural areas. The remaining funds will be awarded to another 20 organizations in 15 states that serve a mix of rural, suburban, and urban communities.
"These funds will help serve needy families, increase the availability of healthy foods, and enable awardees to store, transport and distribute these foods safely and more efficiently," said USDA Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Under Secretary, Kevin Concannon
TEFAP, administered by USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), provides food to States and organizations that provide food assistance to needy families across the country. Food assistance comes in the forms of prepared meals and food for preparation at home. FNS also provides administrative funds to support the storage and distribution of donated foods.
The emergency food organizations selected include:
Food Bank of Alaska Alaska $95,600
California Emergency Foodlink California $250,000
Costilla County Colorado $250,000
Treasure Coast Food Bank Florida $100,000
Southwest George Community Action Georgia $58,556
God's Pantry Food Bank Kentucky $250,000
Purchase Area Development District Kentucky $164,476
Human Development Commission Michigan $65,000
Benton County Human Service Council Missouri $83,409
Montana Food Bank Network Montana $250,000
Goldenrod Hills Community Action, Nebraska $87,372
Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina North Carolina $250,000
Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma Oklahoma $250,000
Oregon Coast Community Action Oregon $250,000
Center for Family Services Pennsylvania $67,417
South Texas Food Bank Texas $245,385
Central Wisconsin Community Action Council Wisconsin $243,460
Indianhead Community Action Agency Wisconsin $199,233
Huntington Area Food Bank West Virginia $110,000
The emergency food organizations selected for the remaining grants include:
Chandler Christian Community Center Arizona $87,141
Food Bank of Larimer County Colorado $72,317
Jeffco Action Center Colorado $103,163
Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida Florida $99,500
We Care Food Pantry Florida $100,000
Eastern Illinois Food Bank Illinois $114,201
Hoosier Hills Food Bank Inc. Indiana $112,199
FCS Food Pantry, Food Security Maine $214,500
Mississippi Food Network, Inc. Mississippi $94,162
Ozarks Food Harvest, Inc. Missouri $100,401
Red Star Baptist Church Missouri $73,881
The Storehouse, Inc. New Mexico $249,550
Church of St. Francis Xavier New York $70,129
Yamhill Community Action Partnership Oregon $115,000
Chester Eastside Ministries Pennsylvania $50,282
Fayette County Community Action Pennsylvania $250,000
Houston Food Bank Texas $204,200
Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Virginia $180,500
Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia Virginia $145,000
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin Wisconsin $250,000
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