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​Baker-Polito Administration Invests $56 Million to Combat Food Insecurity in Massachusetts

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Funding helps implement Food Security Task Force’s actionable next steps
​BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced $56 million to combat urgent food insecurity for some Massachusetts families and individuals as a result of COVID-19. This funding is consistent with findings of the Food Security Task Force, which was convened by the Massachusetts COVID-19 Command Center in response to increased demands for food assistance. The task force is comprised of a broad group of public and private members charged with ensuring food insecurity and food supply needs are addressed during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
 
“These funds jump start some of the recommendations to address urgent needs and food supply chain issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic for communities across the Commonwealth,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “While COVID-19 has had a statewide impact, some of our communities and residents who have historically experienced food insecurity have been even more disproportionately impacted.”


“Our Administration has always been focused on supporting residents and families dealing with food insecurity, especially now during the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We thank the Food Security Task Force for their work on these important issues, and are glad to make these crucial investments.”
 
The Administration will continue to utilize the Food Security Task Force and work with the Legislature to address food security issues going forward.
 
“Longstanding food assistance programs including the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infant and Children’s Program (WIC) are experiencing significant increases in assistance applications. In addition, community-based food banks are seeing skyrocketing demand and local grocers and farmers are struggling to meet the needs of consumers,” said COVID-19 Command Center Director and Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders. “I am appreciative of the task force’s practical recommendations to meet immediate needs as well as the longer-term solutions.”
 
“We are pleased to provide new funding to a wide array of programs and initiatives in order to help ensure individuals and families have access to affordable, nutritious food during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael J. Heffernan. “This funding builds upon other critical COVID-19 resources which are being distributed by the Administration in partnership with the Legislature, including the $502 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Funds which will support important municipal initiatives, such as food assistance, during this public health crisis.”
 
“Increasing food security is essential to protecting the health of Massachusetts residents, and the funding and recommendations made available through the Task Force will help meet greater demand for nutritional assistance among vulnerable populations and those struggling with the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theoharides. “The ongoing crisis has also highlighted the importance of reinforcing our local food supply chain, and this investment from the Baker-Polito Administration will provide needed capital to the farmers, fishermen, food banks, and distributors that are helping the Commonwealth respond to this unprecedented public health emergency.”
 
In less than a month, the Food Security Task Force, which was convened on April 22, synthesized and prioritized more than 80 recommendations into the following four key actionable categories:
           
  • Develop and implement an emergency food program
 
  • Fortify the food bank system
 
  • Maximize federal resources for food and nutrition
 
  • Reinforce and redeploy the food system infrastructure
 
As the task force continues its work going forward, today the Administration announces:
 
  • A $36 million COVID-19 Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program with a goal of ensuring that individuals and families have access to food. Eligible services include: 
 
    • Increasing capacity for food direct delivery;
 
    • Increasing capacity of food banks and food pantries;
 
    • Increasing capacity of local food distribution partners;
 
    • Innovative solutions to enable those receiving SNAP and WIC benefits to receive food more easily;
 
    • Innovative solutions for urban farming and
 
    • Farms, retailers, fisheries and other food system businesses to help them adapt to the disruptions and to allow them to provide greater access to local food.
 
  • $5 million increase for the Healthy Incentives Program to meet increased demand for local produce and to increase access points that process SNAP and HIP benefits.
 
  • $12 million for the provision of 25,000 family food boxes per week through a regional food supply system. Each family food box contains 30 to 35 meals.  Food boxes would be distributed throughout the state to food pantries.
 
  • $3 million in funding as an immediate relief valve to food banks.
 
The work of the task force builds on Massachusetts’ initiatives to increase access to food, including establishing emergency food distribution sites and school meal sites for food distribution, implementing Pandemic EBT to provide food to 500,000 youth who usually receive free or reduced priced lunch, distributing additional SNAP benefits to households, requesting online EBT purchasing approval from the federal government, and streamlining food benefit program administration.
 
Additionally, the Commonwealth recently released funding from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund to local cities and towns of up to $502 million and highlighted food insecurity as an eligible program. 
 
Reporting up to the COVID-19 Command Center and Secretary Sudders, the work of the Food Security Task Force will continue as a private-public partnership, chaired by Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides, Department of Transitional Assistance Commissioner Amy Kershaw and Jill Shah, President of the Shah Family Foundation.
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  • Surreal ValeCity online media
  • June 28 2022 Edition
    • Elections 2022 >
      • Kelly for Alaska >
        • Tshibaka Statement Supreme Court Ruling Abortion
        • Tshibaka Blasts Gun Control Deal
        • Murkowski Embraces Gun Control Package
        • Murkowski Erode 2nd Amendment Rights
        • Tshibaka Endorsed by Harold Hamm
        • Jimmy Carter Lisa Murkowski Create Obstacles
        • Tshibaka Murkowski Gross Disregard Workers
        • Kelly Tshibaka Leaked Draft Supreme Court
    • Covid Flu Update June 12 - June 18
    • Governor Lauds Roe Reversal
    • Gov Hutchinson Weekly Address Supporting Teachers
    • Gov Lamont Invite Businesses States Restricting
    • Gov Lamont Minimum Wage Increase
    • Gov Lamont Update Coronavirus Response June 24
    • Gov Lamont Statement Roe v Wade
    • Gov Lamont New Credit Card Fees Waived
    • Senior Advocacy Groups Urge Tax Cuts
    • Gov Baker Protect Reproductive Health Care
    • Baker Polito Further Improvement Supply Delivery
    • Baker Polito Supreme Court Gun Ruling
    • Gov Whitmer Bridge Projects Ingham
    • Gov Whitmer Immediate Consideration Abortion Lawsuit
    • Gov Whitmer HOLO Footwear Headquarters Grant Rapids
    • Gov Whitmer Lower Health Care Costs
    • Gov Whitmer Fix Roads Berrien
    • Gov Whitmer Motion Right to Abortion
    • Gov Whitmer Dobbs v Jackson
    • Gov Whitmer Infrastructure Grants 2 Businesses
    • Gov Parson Increasing Kansas City Police Budget
    • Gov Parson End Elective Abortions
    • Gov Sisolak Appoints Maria Gall
    • Extreme Heat Centralizes Available Resources
    • Gov Sisolak Joins Reproductive Rights Activists
    • NCDHHS Testing National HIV Day
    • Gov Lee Statement Dobbs Ruling
    • Gov Lee Appoints Rep Joel Ferry
    • Gov Cox Statement Supreme Court Ruling
    • Gov Cox Names Rick Westmoreland
    • Roots Reflections of Total Selves
    • Roots Strength Beneath the Surface
    • Meet Esteban Toro First Judge Roots
    • SeeMe Passion Grand Prize Winner
    • See Me Roots Open Call Submissions
    • Multipart Project New Work Carmen Winant
    • Sport1 Broadcast TWG 2022 Free TV
    • Girls on the Run Establish Independent Council
    • All Ages Invited Passport to History
    • Celtic Classic Volunteer Registration
    • Celtic Classic 35th Anniversary Entertainment
    • Passport to History Month Returns
    • The World Games 2022 on TV
    • Federations News
    • TWG CDC Dispense Negative Covid Test
    • Building Up BHM Jonathan Benjamin
    • Passport to History Month Returns July
    • Green Party Protect Reproductive Rights
    • Statement Coach Kennedy Case
    • SCOTUS Ruling Roe v Wade
    • Statement Brooke Rollins Roe v Wade
    • Statement Supreme Court Roe v Wade
  • Supporting ALL Law Enforcement
  • Thanks to the sponsors
  • Staff and Contact Information
  • Archive 2022
    • Arts
    • Dining Out
    • Editorials
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    • Festivals
  • Archives 2021
    • Community >
      • Feeding the Homeless Philadelphia
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