Food sites could ‘collapse’ without more funding

A coalition of anti-hunger organizations are warning lawmakers that food distribution services could disappear without more funding to meet the state’s growing food insecurity needs during the coronavirus pandemic. 

In an open letter to policymakers, organization heads said they need $18 million more in funding to continue providing food to low-income or food-insecure Vermonters. They’re also asking for an additional $20 million to be allocated to 3SquaresVT, the state’s food stamp system. 

Vermont has seen a staggering demand for donated food since the pandemic struck. Hundreds of cars have lined up for distribution sites. Some spent hours waiting for food, only to be turned away empty handed because there wasn’t enough to meet the demand. 

Demand is so high that the State Emergency Operations Center is now requiring registration for meal distribution sites. 

Feeding America, a hunger relief organization, estimates that the number of food insecure people in Vermont has increased by 46% and that child food insecurity in Vermont has increased by 60%. The Vermont Foodbank has seen an 800% increase at some partner and distribution sites. 

Hunger Free Vermont works with the Agency of Education to coordinate the delivery of meals to local school districts. Anore Horton, executive director of the organization, said families can no longer congregate to collect meals at local schools and so the program must deliver food, which is driving up costs.  

Horton said the Agency of Education surveyed schools and found that 65% have said they won’t be able to afford continuing to deliver meals. 

That means hundreds of children may go hungry this summer, Horton said. Hunger Free Vermont estimates that out of the $18 million requested, $12 million would be needed to prop up meal deliveries for children through the summer. 

“We either are going to have the most comprehensive summer meals program that we’ve ever had in Vermont this summer,” Horton said. “Or the entire program is going to collapse and be an incredible failure.” 

The Vermont Foodbank’s distributions of food will also have to scale back if it doesn’t receive increased funding to organize the allocation of food throughout the summer, said Nicole Whalen, director of communications for the organization. She said the Foodbank is looking for about $4.6 million to keep up with the increased demand. 

“This is a time where, in general, we are calling on the state to step up and take on a more significant role in helping ensure there is funding for people facing hunger,” Whalen said. “But especially right now. There is no way we can continue to operate at our current levels.” 

The flow of food to the organization isn’t the problem, Whalen said. The Foodbank can receive up to 1.6 million pounds of food per month from the Farmers to Families Food Box program, which is a new federal initiative in which the government is buying up food from farmers to pass on to Americans in need during the pandemic. 

But getting all of that food to Vermonters is a heavy lift, which is why the National Guard members who are helping to pass out the food at distribution events are essential to the success of the program, Horton said. But there’s concern that the Guard’s involvement may end soon. 

In the food providers’ letter to lawmakers, it said the National Guard was planning to pull out of these events by mid-June. However, Chris Herrick, deputy commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, said there was a misunderstanding. The Guard is not planning to pull out mid-June. He said the Guard is prepared to continue distributing food until the end of the month.

Herrick said the Emergency Management division will assign a “planner” to work with food banks to make an “organized, methodical transition to a more community based distribution plan come the end of month.”

Whalen and Horton had a call with a group of lawmakers Monday morning about the requests for more funding. Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Chittenden, said she wants more details about what money has already been used and how additional funds would increase access to food. 

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee will send a proposal for funding needs to the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

But given that the state’s federal CARES Act money has been claimed by various proposals, deciding how much to allocate to any interest is becoming more difficult. 

“There are a lot of little pieces,” Lyons said. “I certainly support their request moving forward to make sure we have food insecurity addressed. How much is it going to cost is the other question.” 

Correction: The National Guard did not send a letter to lawmakers, as referenced in an earlier version of this story.

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