Feeding Tampa Bay fears losing millions of meal distributions if more USDA funds are cut
The Brief
Feeding Tampa Bay fears any more cuts in USDA funds will stop their ability to distribute meals to people in need.
Feeding Tampa Bay supplies almost 100 million meals to 350 community partners.
They say people struggling tend to buy more unhealthy food and meals.
TAMPA, Fla. - The president and CEO of Feeding Tampa Bay fears his non-profit will lose access to fresh and healthy food options and millions of meal distributions if there are more cuts to U.S. Department of Agriculture programs.
The USDA recently cut the LFPA, or Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement, which allowed food banks to buy food from local farmers for distribution to food pantries.
It amounts to four million meals a year for Feeding Tampa Bay, which supplies food to 350 community partners.
What they're saying
"An organization like ours will distribute probably close to 100 million meals this year, so it's not an insignificant sum," said Thomas Mantz, the President and CEO of Feeding Tampa Bay. "There's probably another 15 million meals that come through the TEFAP Program that would be at risk if those funds are cut."
TEFAP, or The Emergency Food Assistance Program, distributes nutritious food to food banks.
"When a family is struggling financially, they tend to buy greater quantities of unhealthy food because it tends to be cheaper," said Mantz. "The great value of these commodity programs is they provide good, fresh healthy produce that a family might not normally get."
Local perspective
Mantz says families across Tampa Bay are already struggling to manage budgets. 55% of their monthly income is spent on transportation and housing alone, so adding food becomes a significant burden.
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"The idea that there are less resources coming into the community to help those families is going to be difficult for us to manage," said Mantz. "We understand decisions get made for a variety of reasons, but we want to make sure that folks understand the impact of those decisions."
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, however. According to Mantz, the state is considering a Farmers Feeding Floridians program in its upcoming budget, which should help food banks provide fresh, healthy food for families.
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How much the program will help make up the difference is currently unknown.
What's next
Mantz says he's also concerned about potential cuts to the SNAP Program that allows people to get groceries.
If you're struggling with food or resources, visit Feeding Tampa Bay's website to find food assistance in your area.
The Source
FOX 13's Carla Bayron collected the information in this story.
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