Latest news with #EricAft
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Second Harvest Food Bank loses 1 million pounds of food due to federal cuts
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — A food bank in the Piedmont Triad is down on food donations 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 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Triad food banks, schools impacted by USDA cuts
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. WGHP) — Second Harvest Food Bank staff are tasked with feeding families in need in the northwestern portions of North Carolina This is an effort CEO Eric Aft says is made possible through a partnership with local farmers, specifically, the federally funded Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program. $900,000 of lottery revenue helps High Point school 'We aggregate … the produce as well as the meat and get that together and distribute that to our network partner programs. That includes over 300 food pantries in over 18 counties,' Aft said. The U.S Department of Agriculture cut more than $1 billion in federal funds for two programs. Aft says the cut makes the fight to end food insecurity in NC more complicated. Aft says eventually they'll no longer federally fund some of the farms in the Piedmont Triad. 'Glow House Agriculture … works with many farmers in the area … Another farmer that works with a lot of cattle. We get a lot of beef from them … There will be no more funding going forward. That's going to harm their ability and their work to provide food across the area,' Aft said. Farmers aren't the only ones impacted by federal cuts to nutrition programs. The School Nutrition Association, which represents cafeteria workers, said the USDA cut $660 million to the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program this year. It's a cut Guilford County Schools Superintendent Dr. Whitney Oakley is keeping a close eye on. 'We know that there were cuts to the federal department as recently as yesterday evening. Programs that come federally include most of our special education funding school meals,' Oakley said FOX8 reached out to GCS to see which specific nutrition programs may be impacted. A spokesperson says they're waiting on direction from the North Carolina State Board of Education. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
