Data Helps Food Banks Cater to Those in Need
“As part of the federal government’s recent funding cutbacks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture ended a program that helped food banks provide communities with food from local farms and farmers.
In March, the agency canceled $420 million in funds for the pandemic-era Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, which allows states to purchase and distribute domestically produced food and beverages to organizations like food banks. Organizations across the nation have already reported that their food orders have been canceled.
In Phoenix, Arizona, the St. Mary’s Food Bank is one such organization that is bracing for the impact of reduced funding for their operations. The nonprofit relies on private and public food and financial donations for support, including from USDA and the state’s Department of Education, said Marcus Gaucin, its chief programs officer.
The food bank can distribute nearly 130 million pounds a year, which equates to about 105 million meals to visitors, Gaucin said. The organization offers food services to 10 of 15 rural and urban counties across the state.
“We have seen reductions in the number of loads we’re getting to the tune of about 1.2 million pounds of food,” Gaucin said. While the total seems small compared to the food bank’s total operations, it is a significant blow to the food bank’s mission of increasing residents’ access to nutritious meals, particularly as “we’re seeing [hearty foods] that are being canceled like proteins,” he added.
The program’s end comes amid Americans’ increasing concerns over grocery prices, with 62% of U.S. adults saying the cost of food is extremely or very important to them when deciding what to buy. The rate of food insecurity in recent years has also increased, with federal data showing that 13.5% of households were food insecure in 2023 — up from 12.8% the previous year.
The leaders of St. Mary’s Food Bank are turning to data to help fill service gaps and identify more vulnerable areas to concentrate resources and services to those in most need.”
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