|
United Way Gives $12,000 to Food Bank |
|
|
|
by Ann M. Colt
|
|
Friday, 10 March 2006 |
|
Ithaca, NY – United Way of Tompkins County’s Board of Directors approved a $12,000 grant recommendation for the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. Funds will be used to support the Tompkins County Food Distribution Network ($10,000) and the Smart Buy Food Cooperative Program ($2,000), all to benefit individuals and families. The funding for these two programs is from local United Way donors who supported the Triad Foundation’s 2004-05 Hunger and Food Insecurity Challenge Grant. The $10,000 will be distributed to the fourteen food pantries in Tompkins County based on services delivered and need in the individual communities. Each month, but especially during the winter and summer seasons, several tons of food and personal care items are distributed throughout the county.
Smart Buy is a program that provides high quality food at a low cost by offering monthly food packages consisting of six staple foods, including frozen meat, cheese, fruit and vegetables, that help individuals and families stretch their food dollars. The package is meant to complement food obtained at the pantries and grocery stores.
Currently, Enfield and Brooktondale are the only two food pantries in Tompkins County offering the option to purchase Smart Buy Packages. Once a month, participants can register for a $20.00 food package that is prepaid by cash, check, or by using a food card. With this grant, clients using a food card (formerly food stamps), will be able to purchase $20.00 Smart Buy units for $15.00 each, with funding from United Way of Tompkins County paying $5.00 for each package. Based on data gathered, the Food Bank of the Southern Tier has seen a 42% increase in food distribution over last year. An unmet demand for food and personal care products exits within the Tompkins County Food Pantry Network and throughout the county. United Way firmly believes that it is important to address the current shortage of food and personal care products. However, United Way will continue to work with community partners on implementing and developing longer-term solutions to the problems of hunger and food insecurity in Tompkins County. Upcoming, there will be a multiple agency promotional campaign to increase local food card usage.
----
v2i10
|
