Food supply chain issues and rising food costs have strained individuals and families across the country, highlighting the importance of a strong and resilient emergency food system, which includes organizations such as food banks, soup kitchens, food pantries, and more. These emergency food providers continue to be vital partners in USDA’s efforts to promote food and nutrition security. The Biden-Harris Administration is equipping them with significant investments so they can continue serving their communities well through evolving challenges. These investments focus on additional food purchases, improving infrastructure, supporting health and nutrition, bolstering local food systems, and promoting access and equity to continue to drive toward a stronger tomorrow.
As part of the Administration’s commitment to addressing inflation and ensuring families can keep healthy food on the table, USDA is providing:
- An estimated $445.5 million in base food funding for fiscal year 2023 (October 2022 – September 2023) for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which provides food and administrative funds to states and tribes for distribution through organizations like food banks. Next year’s funding is an increase of $46 million over fiscal year 22 because of the statutory annual adjustment to account for the cost of food based on the Thrifty Food Plan.
- A $500 million temporary boost to TEFAP for this fiscal year (October 2022 – September 2023) made up of $400 million for food purchases, including nutritious fresh fruit and vegetable boxes, and $100 million in administrative funds. The administrative funds have already been distributed, and food deliveries will continue throughout 2022, accounting for nearly all of these funds.
- Nearly $40 million in TEFAP Reach & Resiliency Grants to help expand the reach of the emergency food system in underserved areas including remote, rural, tribal, low-income, or low food access communities. State agencies and local emergency feeding organizations will use the funds to implement unique, creative solutions to address program gaps and best serve their communities’ specific needs. A second round of $60 million in funding is forthcoming in fiscal year 2023.
- First-of-their-kind cooperative agreements totaling $400 million to allow states and tribes to directly purchase local foods for distribution through emergency food providers.
- $7.5 million in grants for Farm to Food Bank projects that repurpose privately donated food that would otherwise be wasted for distribution through TEFAP. USDA awarded fiscal year 2022 funds to 29 states and territories in the largest round of these grants to date. USDA is making $3.8 million available for Farm to Food Bank projects in fiscal year 2023.
- Nearly $700 million in commodity food support “bonus buys” – made based on market need throughout this fiscal year – for distribution through TEFAP. Bonus buys will continue in fiscal year 2023 to provide additional support.
Together, and in close collaboration with our partners in the emergency food system, we are helping to keep communities fed, healthy, and strong.
Original source can be found here.
