24-03-2025
Greater Cleveland Food Bank faces uncertainty surrounding food deliveries from government
CLEVELAND (WJW) – The Greater Cleveland Food Bank is very concerned after the government announced cuts to essential food programs and paused the delivery of hundreds of thousands of pounds of food — all while food insecurity continues to be a major concern in Cleveland, a city with one of the highest child poverty rates in the country.
Twenty loads have been returned, said the food bank's Director of Advocacy and Public Education Jessica Semachko. 'That's 553,000 pounds of food.'
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Semachko said the federal government made major cuts totaling $1 billion to local food banks and schools, leading the U.S. Department of Agriculture to pause Commodity Credit Corporation deliveries across the nation.
'This is center of the plate — healthy, nutritious food — and it just creates a lot of uncertainty,' Semachko said. 'Are these simply delays? When will the food be received? What we do know is it is going to make it more difficult in the short term to be able to meet the increasing need we see in the community.'
The food bank said it receives just over 20% of its food from the federal government.
There is still a very high demand for food assistance in Northeast Ohio, as the public continues to face economic instability due to rising costs of living and inflation at the grocery store.
'We see need above pandemic-era levels,' Semachko said. 'Last year, [we] served 424,000 individuals across our six-county service area.'
The state of Ohio is also looking to trim $7.5 million from its food program budget, further casting a cloud of uncertainty over the future.
'We are advocating for a robust, bipartisan farm bill to ensure that Local Food Purchase Assistance and bonus product is set at the levels that will meet community need,' Semachko said.
During this period of uncertainty, the food bank will operate as normal, serving thousands of people each month.
'We want our neighbors and our partners to know that we are committed to the mission,' Semachko said. 'The food bank doors are open, if you are facing need, if you are in need, if you are facing hunger.'
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A USDA spokesperson in a Monday statement to FOX 8 News wrote:
The Biden administration created unsustainable programming and expectations using the Commodity Credit Corporation. Regardless, USDA continues to purchase food for [The Emergency Food Assistance Program], with over $166 million spent in FY 2025 to date for program requirements. USDA also is using Section 32 purchases to support TEFAP, purchasing over $300 million in various poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables and tree nuts. USDA recently approved an additional $261 million in Section 32 purchases to provide even more fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts to TEFAP. With 16 robust nutrition programs and the Section 32 market support program in place, USDA remains focused on its core mission: strengthening food security, supporting agricultural markets and ensuring access to nutritious food.
The food bank said it relies on donations to sustain its efforts. If you would like to help, you can do so here.
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