Governor Kathy Hochul announced today that New York State has been awarded $2.7 million in Reach and Resiliency grant funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand The Emergency Food Assistance Program’s reach into remote, rural, Tribal, and low-income areas currently underserved by the program. The grant is part of the USDA’s Build Back Better initiative to support and expand the country’s emergency food network so that food banks and local organizations can reliably serve their communities.
“We have a moral obligation to break down the logistic and stigmatic barriers that block access to nutritious, culturally-relevant food for those who need it the most,” Governor Hochul said. “I’m inspired by the creative strategies the food banks will employ to support food insecure New Yorkers, and we will continue to take bold action to ensure no New Yorker ever goes hungry.”
Feeding Westchester will receive $62,056 through this initiative.
“The Westchester County community is increasingly diverse. It is important to all of us at Feeding Westchester that the food we provide the community reflects that cultural variety,” said Karen C. Erren, Feeding Westchester President & CEO. “It is also a priority that we provide a safe, nurturing, and celebratory culture internally that allows each team member to thrive. These are two components of our DEI work. We are so appreciative of this grant that will help us fund this critical initiative and increase the impact of the food we provide to our neighbors in need.”
Collectively, the food banks will establish and increase the use of mobile and pop-up food pantries; facilitate custom ordering to increase the delivery of culturally relevant foods; purchase a refrigerated truck and hire more drivers to transport TEFAP food; expand a commercial cooler and purchase refrigerators, freezers, and shelves to store more TEFAP food safely; and establish and fortify relationships in underserved communities to enable broader access to TEFAP foods for the food insecure in remote, rural, Tribal, and low-income areas.
Read more at governor.ny.gov here.
