Food bank serving Butler County concerned, but hopeful about federal funding
The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, which provides food to food banks and pantries in Butler County, is concerned about potential federal spending freezes and budget cuts, but optimistic that elected officials will work to maintain the flow of food to those who need it most.
“We are closely monitoring the ongoing conversation of the administration and Congress in regard to federal funding. We are prepared for all possible outcomes,” said Lisa Scales, president and CEO of the food bank.
She said there are a lot of unknowns and the food bank is monitoring developments to understand how the organization may be impacted by various levels of cuts.
Food banks across the state have voiced worry that spending and budget cuts will impact several programs intended to provide food for low-income people, but Scales said she is most concerned about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, Medicaid and the Local Food Purchasing, or LFP, program.
Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being.
Medicaid is government funded health insurance for people with limited income.
The LFP program provides USDA funding to states to give to food banks to buy fresh produce from local farms to give to low-income residents.
“We know that hunger can be a unifying issue. I’m optimistic that our elected officials will use this opportunity to work together to provide nourishment to those who need it most.
“The work of addressing food insecurity is something we do together. This is a partnership between the government and the charitable sector,” Scales said.
Last year, 20,000 county residents, or one out of every 10 residents, were food insecure, and 8% of senior citizens live with income below the poverty level, she said.
Scales said it is concerning that the government is considering cuts to services and benefits when demand for food bank services is at record high levels.
“We distributed 2.8 million pounds of food. Food for 3 million meals went to Butler County from our facility last year. Our focus is on nutritious food, providing fresh food. More than 1 million pounds of fresh food went to Butler County last year,” Scales said.
She said SNAP and Medicaid have the biggest impact on people served by the food bank. Cuts to those programs are not definite, but the food bank is monitoring discussions about spending in Washington D.C., she said.
More than 2 million state residents receive SNAP benefits to buy food, and most are children, seniors and people with disabilities, she said.
“They get an average of $6 per day,” Scales said. “We should be looking for ways to increase SNAP funding, not cutting it. SNAP is a critical resource for feeding our neighbors. It’s really their first line of defense against food insecurity.”
The outlook for the Local Food Purchasing program appears grim, she said. The food bank received its quarterly payment in January, but is not expecting to receive the next quarterly payment.
She said the food bank spends $130,000 a month in LFP funds to buy milk and core grocery items.
“We requested a payment that is due April 1, but we do not expect to receive that payment,” Scales said.
In preparation of the U.S. House of Representatives’ proposed budget, the agriculture committee has been asked to cut $230 billion over 10 years, she said. Food banks are hearing that reducing monthly SNAP benefits and adding a work requirement to SNAP eligibility are being considered to achieve the spending reduction, she said.
“That’s what’s being considered. That doesn’t mean that’s what’s going to happen,” Scales said.
For every meal the food bank provides, SNAP provides nine meals, she said.
Adding a work requirement to Medicaid eligibility or changing how the program is administered also has been discussed in Washington, Scales said. Many Medicaid recipients rely on the food bank, she said.
Food banks have their eyes on March 14, the date when the current resolution to fund government operations expires. Scales said another funding resolution or the budget could be adopted that day.
If spending cuts impact the food bank, it will work with food sourcing partners to provide food to those who need it, she said.
“We remain committed to fulfilling our mission,” Scales said.
Sandra Curry, executive director of Community Partnership, which helps the food bank distribute food, also said she is concerned about possible cuts to the SNAP program.
“That would dramatically increase traffic to the charitable food business. That would increase the need even more than it increased last year,” Curry said.
She said the demand for SNAP benefits increased last year due to the economy and inflation.
She said a lot of people who receive SNAP have jobs, but are underpaid and need SNAP to provide food for their families.
William Thiele, a dairy farmer in Winfield Township and a member of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau state board of directors, said cuts to programs that food banks use to help low-income residents would be unfortunate.
“Us farmers always want to make food for everybody,” Thiele said.
