Community Foundation announces emergency funding for Milford Food Bank
This post was provided by News Now Warsaw
By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Community Foundation approved an emergency grant of up to $31,000 in additional money on Friday to the Milford Food Bank as the government shutdown enters its 34th day and benefits for food assistance have temporarily ceased.
Concerns about SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) have been growing in recent days, and even though rulings on Friday from two judges ordered the Trump administration to continue funding the massive program, uncertainty remains.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program starting Nov. 1 because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown.
The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nation’s social safety net. It costs about $8 billion per month nationally.
In Kosciusko County, about 1,800 households rely on SNAP benefits.
In a statement issued Friday, the Foundation’s Board said it acted quickly to help ensure vulnerable children, families, and seniors in our community do not go hungry.
Money will be used to provide immediate food support for residents across Kosciusko County through their network of local food pantries supported by the food bank.
The first portion of money, $15,500 was released Friday. If by mid-November, Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits have not been released, the second grant installment will be released, said the foundation in a news release.
“We’re deeply grateful for Milford Food Bank’s strong partnerships with pantries throughout the county, and grateful to have rapid-response funds at the Community Foundation,” the foundation statement said.
Find a food pantry near you by visiting milfordfoodbank.org/pantrylocations.
The two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration must continue to pay for SNAP, the nation’s biggest food aid program, using emergency reserve funds during the government shutdown.
Benefits for millions of people are being delayed in November because the process of loading cards can take a week or more in many states.
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