22-04-2025
Las Vegas food bank needs help due to federal funding cuts
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A food bank in the Las Vegas valley is looking for community support following federal cuts to food programs.
Last month, the USDA announced $1 billion worth of cuts to programs that affect food banks, including Southern Nevada's only food bank, Three Square Food Bank.
'Federal food for Three Square is really a lifeline,' Three Square Food Bank President and CEO Beth Martino said. 'We receive, in some years, almost 15 million pounds of food from the federal government through the federal commodities program, so any changes to that program definitely have an effect on what we're able to do here in the community.'
The USDA announced the termination of two major federal programs in March — the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program. These programs helped schools and food banks purchase fresh food directly from local farmers and producers. The cuts are a part of a broader effort by the Trump Administration to reduce federal spending.
'About one million pounds of food we were scheduled to receive were canceled,' Martino said. 'That was one million pounds of food that we expected to receive this spring, so what that really looks like for the people we serve is potentially less food that we're able to distribute in the community.'
Martino also added that less food at Three Square means less food in the community and that one-in-seven Southern Nevadans struggles with hunger.
Meanwhile, one-in-five children live in a food-insecure household. Three Square Food Bank provides millions of meals each year to the Southern Nevada community, but the recent federal cuts could mean less meals for families in need. And with rising costs, more families are finding it challenging to make ends meet.
'What we've seen since the pandemic is that food insecurity has worsened. It's actually increased dramatically since 2020,' Martino said.
The federal cuts would not only affect the food bank's services but also numerous smaller nonprofits they supply across the region.
'It also means it affects local farmers and food producers who use that money to keep their operations going year-round,' Martino said.
Three Square Food Bank is relying more than ever on community support through monetary and food donations.
'It's really important for us to have food out in the community to help people feed their families, keep food on the table all month long,' Martino said.
To donate, visit Donate to Bag Childhood Hunger.
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