USDA Grants Funding for Rural Food Support Before Thanksgiving

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, many families look forward to a bountiful meal. However, not everyone has enough food on their table. Luckily, help is on the way for those in need in more rural and less serviced areas. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a boost in funding with an additional $500 million going towards helping food providers.

This increase allows food banks and pantries to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts. It's especially great because these food banks can focus on buying from local farmers and ranchers, which also helps the local economy. 

In Indiana alone, food providers are seeing $12 million of this new funding, adding more capacity to help.

Jennifer Moffitt, the USDA Undersecretary, highlighted how this helps link local farmers directly to the food banks, ensuring they can sell their produce fairly and keep the food supply running.

However, the demand for food remains high, similar to the peak times of the pandemic, noted Victor Garcia, the president and CEO of the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. He mentioned that despite the desire to provide, costs and high demand make it hard to keep up.

This funding is not just for the state of Indiana but is part of a larger $1.5 billion initiative that started in 2022 to support emergency food services across the country. 

In Indiana, there are over 94,000 farmers who stand to benefit from this initiative as it helps ensure their products find a marketplace, and communities receive the nutritious food they need.

Victor Garcia also noted that this extra funding helps bridge the gap between the availability of food and the high demand, as their food pantry assists about 60,000 people each month.

Check out: December 2024 SNAP Payment Schedule: What You Need to Know

-

Subscribe to secure your food stamps and learn more about this government benefit.