SHARON, Pa. – The federal government canceled 200,000 pounds of food ordered for Mercer County Food Bank.
That’s valued at about $400,000 from the Commodity Credit Corporation Bonus Program and was for April through August.
“So we’re scrambling, trying to work with our local donors to try to make this up, because we have a really big need with food insecurity,” Executive Director Rebecca Page said. “Within Mercer County, we have over 15,000 residents that rely on our services.”
The latest cancellation is in addition to the cancellation of the Local Food Purchase Agreement.
“And locally, what that means for Mercer County Food Bank is approximately $90,000 a year that we were expecting to receive starting in July,” Page said. “And that money was earmarked to purchase Pennsylvania grown produce.”
Through that program, the food bank distributed 236,000 pounds of produce, the executive director said.
Mike Iberis, executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley, isn’t concerned about adequate food. Though 12 loads of food the food bank was expected to receive between May and August were canceled, 25 loads are expected at the food bank within the next 30 days. The 12 loads were through a different program within the federal government than the 25 loads that are expected within 30 days.
“We don’t want to panic anyone,” he said. “The food is coming in. Our understanding is that, though, that the USDA will continue to clear surplus production like they always do.”
And Second Harvest has 1.5 million pounds of food in its warehouse, Iberis said. The food bank distributes about 50,000 pounds of food per day and serves about 14,000 people per month.
Second Harvest has other sources from which it receives food as well.
Page said she doesn’t believe Mercer County Food Bank’s donors will be able to fill the whole gap left by the loss of the USDA distribution.
“But it is our hope that our community will once again step up to help us ensure that we can feed our neighbors,” she said. “But this is going to have lasting impacts here, because we’re a very small food bank too.”
The food bank has also been the recipient of Federal Emergency Management Agency funds for food for Mercer. That amounts to between $40,000 and $50,000 worth of food annually.
“So with all of the cuts combined, we’re standing to lose over half a million dollars worth of food,” Page said. “Obviously, there’s no way our local community is going to be able to come up with that kind of money, but we’re just working the best that we can to try to supplement and make up …” because the food bank was expecting the money and food this year, and it was canceled on short notice.
The food bank’s board met Friday and discussed the situation.
“That’s what we are meeting about … is so that we can collect ourselves and try to figure out what we’re going to do, because we’re going to have to purchase food – more food than ever before to try to meet the needs here.”