Second Harvest Food Bank loses 1 million pounds of food due to federal cuts
'Across 18 counties, including 332 food pantries. We're providing about 80% of the food they receive. The fact that we're going to get 1 million pounds less will impact what we get to them, which means those pantries will have less to provide to our neighbors in need,' Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina CEO Eric Aft said.
Aft said the reason why nearly 1 million pounds of food is gone is because the Trump administration got rid of a U.S. Department of Agriculture program.
'The Commodity Credit Corporation funding, which is part of the federal commodities that we receive, was cut back in March,' Aft said.
Aft said CCC funding made up for one-third of the food they provide. That's not the only federal funding the food bank has lost.
Earlier this year, they also lost funding from the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program.
'That was approved back in October, but the administration said that would not continue. That is $2 million that we will not be receiving to purchase goods from area farmers,' Aft said.
It's a loss that Aft said has not only hurt the food bank but will ultimately hurt thousands of food-insecure North Carolinians as well.
'There are sleepless nights. I had one last night. We're thinking about what are we going to do to respond to the need right now. That's just how we're existing,' Aft said.
Aft said to make up for the nearly 1 million pounds of food, they're leaning on food drives, donations from viewers and grocery retailers
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