AMERICA'S SECOND HARVEST URGES SENATE TO INCLUDE $100 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY FOOD IN ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Not Only Helps Hungry; Stimulates Local Economic Activity and Farm Economy
CHICAGO --- January 29, 2008 --- As Congress works to finalize an economic stimulus package, America's Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network is urging the U.S. Senate to include at least $100 million in additional funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and increased funding for the Food Stamp Program. Immediate investment in TEFAP would allow food banks and other hunger relief organizations across the country to meet what has become an unprecedented need as more and more struggling Americans arrive at their doors.
“Day after day, headlines across the country are reporting home foreclosures, increased unemployment, bankruptcies, higher gas and energy costs and rising food prices,” said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of America’s Second Harvest. “Middle- and low-income Americans are really caught in the squeeze, and food banks are scrambling to keep up with the need.”
As with the Food Stamp Program, the provision of food to low-income families and individuals through emergency feeding agencies will free up other household resources for purchases of other essential goods and services such as fuel, clothing and housing. These additional purchases will have a positive stimulus effect on local economic activity. In addition, funding TEFAP will stimulate the farm economy, food processing and transportation industries. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, every dollar spent on TEFAP commodities returns between 27 and 85 cents to farmers, the highest proportion of income return of any federal nutrition program. Furthermore, recent analysis by Moody's Economist.com says that every $1.00 spent on the Food Stamp Program would return $1.73 in economic activity.
The TEFAP program provides USDA purchased food to every state based on a formula that includes current poverty and unemployment data. As the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, more than 80 percent of TEFAP food is distributed to local agencies via the America’s Second Harvest Network. However, dramatic declines in food aid from surplus commodity purchases by the federal government have caused shortages at food banks nationwide. In fact, since 2002, there has been a 70 percent decline in USDA surplus food. As a result, food banks and food service agencies have had to reduce the amount and variety of food available to the millions of people they serve. At the same time, demand has increased.
To meet this demand quickly, America’s Second Harvest recommends authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to streamline the procurement process. And, as is done in the ongoing TEFAP program, a small percentage of funds should be made available to defray state and local costs associated with distribution and handling.
“The increase in demand for emergency food due to the economic downturn has only made our supply situation worse,” said Escarra. “And, given current economic forecasts, demand for emergency food is likely to increase in the coming months.”
Data released in November 2007 by the United States Department of Agriculture in its annual study of hunger in America indicated that the number of people living at the margins of hunger has increased from 35.1 to more than 35.5 million, including 12.6 million children. In December, the US Conference of Mayors released its survey finding more families are seeking aid from emergency food distribution centers, particularly in urban areas.
The clients served by America’s Second Harvest Network food banks and the agencies they support, include more than 9 million children and 3 million seniors. Many of the people served through food banks are the working poor who are just above the income limit for food stamps and the recently unemployed, who have modest assets that make them ineligible for food stamps. Others include people who have been unable to make their food stamp benefits last for the entire month and need short term emergency food assistance.
“No one in America should go hungry,” said Escarra. “Infusing an additional $100 million in TEFAP is a sound investment in helping to stimulate the nation's economy and helping our neighbors most in need.”
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America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through its network of more than 200 member food banks, America's Second Harvest annually provides assistance to more than 25 million people in need, including more than 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each year, America's Second Harvest secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products to support feeding programs at approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs, and Kids Cafes. To learn more, please visit www.secondharvest.org.
Contact:
Ross Fraser
312.641.6422
Maura Daly
301.943.3733
