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Working Together To End Hunger
PA Agricultural Surplus System Pilot Project Sucessful! 30 Counties Served Approximately 42,914 Families Served Over 128,700 pounds of Apples Distributed
Electronic Report from the Economic Research Service
New Food Assistance
Westmoreland County Food Bank to ask lawmakers for more money Gov't money feeds shelters
Funding going toward food pantries and assistance agencies POSTED: April 22, 2009 http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/518349.html?nav=742
Fact Box
The federal stimulus will provide local counties with supplemental grants for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Emergency Food and Shelter Grant program: Blair County will get $38,000, Cambria $47,000, Centre $34,000, Clearfield $30,000, Bedford $19,000 and Huntingdon $17,000. The money mostly will go to food pantries, shelters and agencies that provide rent, mortgage and utility assistance to counter problems aggravated by the failing economy. "This is welcomed," said Alan Smith, chairman of the Bedford County board that distributes the funding there. "There's an overwhelming, growing demand." The Blair allocation will supplement a base of $80,000 for this fiscal year. "The need is there," said Jean Johnstone, director of the regional diocese's Catholic Charities. Her organization provided a "safety net" last year for 27 homeless families for whom government money was lacking, and homeless families have been coming to her for last-ditch help at a higher rate since January. Unfortunately, the county's shelters - one for families, one for teens, one for men and a religious shelter - are usually full, although the one for domestic abuse victims doesn't turn anyone away, she said. That means Catholic Charities often pays for hotels until permanent subsidized housing becomes available, wasting money and not providing the best recovery situation for families, she said. The Bedford County allocation will supplement a $38,000 base, doubling last year's total... Peg Bianca: 439,000 children living in Pennsylvania living in hunger in the year 2009. That's just not right. Every weeknight the food bank provides meals for 1300 children. Food Bank Shocked By Feeding America Poll PARF Delivers Letters to Pennsylvania General Assembly |