Bipartisan measure would provide funds to agencies to help store, transport and distribute excess food
WASHINGTON, DC-U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) today introduced bipartisan legislation to help move additional food to food banks that have experienced a spike in demand. The legislation would provide funds to agencies to help store, transport and distribute food to food banks, food pantries, emergency shelters and soup kitchens. Currently, many agencies aren’t able to accept additional food due to a lack of resources.
“We are facing a hunger crisis with rising food prices and increasing numbers of Americans finding themselves desperately in need of help to put food on the table for themselves and their families,” said Senator Casey. “The agencies and groups who help hungry Americans must have the resources they need to serve as many people as possible.”
“Right now, there are families who are in desperate need of food assistance but cannot get it because the funding isn’t in place to get the available resources to them,” Senator Snowe said. “You can’t do much when there’s a shortage of food assistance, but when the issue is getting them the food we have, that’s something we can and should address immediately.”
The Bonus TEFAP Assistance Act of 2008 would provide additional funding to states and food assistance agencies to help them pay the costs to store, transport and distribute additional food from the USDA under the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Under the current program, many states and agencies are unable to accept this additional food due to a lack of resources. The additional funding will allow the agencies to accept the excess food and will ensure that it will be able to reach the greatest number of needy individuals.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) helps provide food to low-income individuals. Under TEFAP, state agencies are provided with food commodities, along with additional funding to cover administrative costs such as storage and transportation of food.
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“We are facing a hunger crisis with rising food prices and increasing numbers of Americans finding themselves desperately in need of help to put food on the table for themselves and their families,” said Senator Casey. “The agencies and groups who help hungry Americans must have the resources they need to serve as many people as possible.”
“Right now, there are families who are in desperate need of food assistance but cannot get it because the funding isn’t in place to get the available resources to them,” Senator Snowe said. “You can’t do much when there’s a shortage of food assistance, but when the issue is getting them the food we have, that’s something we can and should address immediately.”
The Bonus TEFAP Assistance Act of 2008 would provide additional funding to states and food assistance agencies to help them pay the costs to store, transport and distribute additional food from the USDA under the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Under the current program, many states and agencies are unable to accept this additional food due to a lack of resources. The additional funding will allow the agencies to accept the excess food and will ensure that it will be able to reach the greatest number of needy individuals.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) helps provide food to low-income individuals. Under TEFAP, state agencies are provided with food commodities, along with additional funding to cover administrative costs such as storage and transportation of food.
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