CLEVELAND — A billion dollars in federal funding cuts are expected to impact food banks, farmers, and schools. The USDA is ending the Local Food Production Alliance Program.
The Greater Cleveland Food Bank benefits from the program. This year, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank was expected to get one million pounds of food, specifically fruits and vegetables grown by local farmers.
“Making up for this is going to be a challenge, there is no doubt about it. I think at this point the only way to make it up is with increased fundraising,” said Kristin Warzocha, President & CEO Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
Warzocha said the program is expected to end June 30, 2025.
“The good news is that we just kicked off our Harvest for Hunger campaign, one of the nation’s largest community wide food and funds drive. This is a time the community really comes together to support the fight against hunger,” added Warzocha.
Warzocha said the need for the services of food banks remains high.
“We set a new record for people served across our six-county service area last year. Together with our partners we served more than 400,000 people, that’s almost one in five residents in our six-county service area and it was a new record in terms of distribution,” she added.
