Central Pennsylvania Food Bank Receives $5,000 Grant from the Walmart Foundation to Support SNAP Education and Outreach
Williamsport/ Harrisburg (August 6, 2019) – The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank today announced a $5,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation to help fight hunger in their 27-county service area through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application assistance. With this grant, the Food Bank will scale access to SNAP among eligible households, with particular emphasis on reaching seniors.
SNAP is a federal nutrition program dedicated to helping millions of people who face hunger. Yet, more than 15 percent of Americans eligible for SNAP currently do not receive this benefit. Seniors are disproportionately affected by food insecurity and barriers to SNAP access. Among seniors, 58% of eligible individuals are not enrolled in SNAP.
SNAP provides more than nutrition assistance. In fact, participation in SNAP is linked to reduced health care costs. SNAP improves food security, offers benefits that enable families to purchase healthier foods, and frees up household resources that can be used for preventative services and needed medical care.
“Hunger impacts every county in the United States. One in nine people in central Pennsylvania do not have regular access to enough food for a healthy, active life. At the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, we are committed to helping seniors in our community who face a higher incidence of food insecurity,” said Joe Arthur, Executive Director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank’s team of SNAP experts provide assistance and help individuals determine their eligibility for SNAP benefits and will assist in the application process through their bi–lingual Food Stamps Helpline at 1-877-999-5964.
The demand for food continues to rise. In Pennsylvania, 1 in 9 people are at risk for going hungry, including 1 in 6 children, according to Feeding America. The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank programs that reach more than 136,000 individuals each month include: ElderShare, MilitaryShare, Fresh Express, BackPack, Kids Café, Summer Pantries and Summer Feeding. Last year, the Food Bank provided nearly 45 million meals and distributed more than 11 million pounds of produce from its two healthy hub locations in Harrisburg and Williamsport.
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation provide donations of both food and funds to the Feeding America nationwide network of 200 food banks. Locally, Walmart has provided thousands of dollars through store grants and its annual Fight Hunger, Spark Change campaign. Walmart and Sam’s Club stores have also donated more than 4 million pounds of food to the Food Bank through its retail donation program. That equates to more than 3.6 million meals for those struggling with hunger in 27 central Pennsylvania counties.
For more information about what the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is doing to fight hunger, visit www.centralpafoodbank.org.
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About the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank:
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to reduce hunger in 27 counties across Pennsylvania. By working with more than 1,000 local agencies and partner programs, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank serves nearly 140,000 people in need every month. For more information on the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and its mission to reduce hunger in Pennsylvania, visit centralpafoodbank.org or call 717-564-1700.