Release No. 0600.09
Video Showcases California Food Bank That Gets
More Food Donations
RICHMOND, Calif., Dec. 4, 2009 -
People here and across the country who find that they need to rely on local
food banks to help feed their families are now finding more food on the
shelves because of money provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA). ARRA provided an additional $100 million to purchase foods and
$50 million to assist food banks with administrative costs for The Emergency
Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) at USDA. Watch this ARRA success story video
at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=THeq62vMRW4.
"We have seen unheard of increases in
the number of people coming to get food," said Lindsay Johnson, director of
the Food Bank program in Richmond, Calif. "People coming to get food between
April and June increased by 40 percent. Very fortunately, the food that USDA
was able to provide to us also increased."
At a nearby food distribution center,
needy families line up to get tickets for boxes of food. The line forms
early and stays full. For many in this community, the food is a vital safety
net. About a third of the food goes to feed children.
ARRA funds are also increased the
benefits in the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP,
formerly known as Food Stamps. Most families of four received an additional
$80 a month to purchase nutritious foods.
President Obama signed the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law on Feb. 17, 2009. It is
designed to jumpstart the nation's economy, create or save millions of jobs
and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our
country can thrive in the 21st century. The act includes measures to
modernize our nation's infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand
educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care,
provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need.
More information about USDA's Recovery
Act efforts is available at www.usda.gov/recovery. More information about
the federal government's efforts on ARRS is available at
www.recovery.gov.
