FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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| February 11 , 2005 |
| Berry Friesen: (717) 233-6705 |
(717) 471-9691(cell) |
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GOVERNOR’S BUDGET FAULTED ON FOOD
State-Funded Emergency Food Would Be Cut $2.5 Million Under Rendell Plan
( Harrisburg PA) Food bankers and food program managers reacted sharply Thursday to the Rendell Administration’s plan to cut $2,450,000 from the State’s emergency food distribution program. The cut – if adopted by the General Assembly – would reduce the state-funded food supply by over 14 percent.
“That’s nearly two months of food,” said Steveanna Wynn of the SHARE Food Program in Philadelphia. “I assume no one wants community pantries and cupboards to close for part of the year and we won’t. But there’s no way the emergency feeding network can keep up the existing level of service if the State takes away that much food.”
The recommendation to cut state spending for the State Food Purchase Program is included in the budget proposal delivered by Governor Rendell to the General Assembly this past Wednesday. During the current fiscal year, the Program provides $17,450,000 to purchase quality food to supplement other inventories collected by pantries and cupboards through community food drives and business donations. Under the Governor’s proposal, funding would be slashed to $15 million in the coming fiscal year despite the fact that the number of households in need is up across the State.
Meeting Thursday in Harrisburg to review the proposed cut, anti-hunger leaders heard much about Pennsylvania’s difficult fiscal situation, particularly the rising Medical Assistance costs. Joyce Rothermel, chief executive officer of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, urged state leaders not to sacrifice food in order to fund medical care. “Let’s be realistic about the connection between nutrition and health. People who lack access to the food they need are at greater medical risk. So this cut – if it’s implemented – will only make the Medical Assistance funding problem worse.” Ann Foor, director of the Keystone Community Action Program in Huntingdon, agreed. “People who suffer from chronic disease need a consistent and healthy diet. If they don’t have access to that diet, their need for medical care only increases.”
“Food is fundamental,” said Pat Temple-West, director of food programs for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. “Many churches already are collecting food, as are many schools and civic groups. The food banks are fully engaged. But that doesn’t meet the need and some of the food must be purchased. If the State makes this cut, the hungry will receive less food.”
For an estimate of the impact of the proposed cut in each county, see the table below.
County |
2004-05 Allocation Grant |
|
Share of 2004-05 TEFAP Set-Aside |
|
Total 2004-05 Allocation |
|
2005-06 Proposed Cut |
Adams |
$ 70,622 |
|
$ 9,142 |
|
$ 79,764 |
|
$ 11,199 |
Allegheny |
$ 1,462,064 |
|
$ 189,267 |
|
$ 1,651,331 |
|
$ 231,849 |
Armstrong |
$ 111,255 |
|
$ 14,402 |
|
$ 125,657 |
|
$ 17,642 |
Beaver |
$ 252,298 |
|
$ 32,660 |
|
$ 284,958 |
|
$ 40,008 |
Bedford |
$ 75,767 |
|
$ 9,808 |
|
$ 85,575 |
|
$ 12,015 |
Berks |
$ 442,828 |
|
$ 57,325 |
|
$ 500,153 |
|
$ 70,222 |
Blair |
$ 217,783 |
|
$ 28,192 |
|
$ 245,975 |
|
$ 34,535 |
Bradford |
$ 86,999 |
|
$ 11,262 |
|
$ 98,261 |
|
$ 13,796 |
Bucks |
$ 357,312 |
|
$ 46,255 |
|
$ 403,567 |
|
$ 56,661 |
Butler |
$ 158,625 |
|
$ 20,534 |
|
$ 179,159 |
|
$ 25,154 |
Cambria |
$ 223,901 |
|
$ 28,984 |
|
$ 252,885 |
|
$ 35,505 |
Cameron |
$ 9,656 |
|
$ 1,250 |
|
$ 10,906 |
|
$ 1,531 |
Carbon |
$ 74,114 |
|
$ 9,594 |
|
$ 83,708 |
|
$ 11,753 |
Centre |
$ 91,325 |
|
$ 11,822 |
|
$ 103,147 |
|
$ 14,482 |
Chester |
$ 217,227 |
|
$ 28,120 |
|
$ 245,347 |
|
$ 34,447 |
Clarion |
$ 64,226 |
|
$ 8,314 |
|
$ 72,540 |
|
$ 10,185 |
Clearfield |
$ 159,676 |
|
$ 20,670 |
|
$ 180,346 |
|
$ 25,321 |
Clinton |
$ 59,158 |
|
$ 7,658 |
|
$ 66,816 |
|
$ 9,381 |
Columbia |
$ 75,968 |
|
$ 9,834 |
|
$ 85,802 |
|
$ 12,047 |
Crawford |
$ 152,476 |
|
$ 19,738 |
|
$ 172,214 |
|
$ 24,179 |
Cumberland |
$ 112,986 |
|
$ 14,626 |
|
$ 127,612 |
|
$ 17,917 |
Dauphin |
$ 290,939 |
|
$ 37,663 |
|
$ 328,602 |
|
$ 46,136 |
Delaware |
$ 579,777 |
|
$ 75,053 |
|
$ 654,830 |
|
$ 91,939 |
Elk |
$ 44,311 |
|
$ 5,736 |
|
$ 50,047 |
|
$ 7,027 |
Erie |
$ 482,627 |
|
$ 62,477 |
|
$ 545,104 |
|
$ 76,533 |
Fayette |
$ 344,906 |
|
$ 44,649 |
|
$ 389,555 |
|
$ 54,694 |
Forest |
$ 9,996 |
|
$ 1,294 |
|
$ 11,290 |
|
$ 1,585 |
Franklin |
$ 115,551 |
|
$ 14,958 |
|
$ 130,509 |
|
$ 18,324 |
Fulton |
$ 17,690 |
|
$ 2,290 |
|
$ 19,980 |
|
$ 2,805 |
Greene |
$ 79,336 |
|
$ 10,270 |
|
$ 89,606 |
|
$ 12,581 |
Huntingdon |
$ 70,019 |
|
$ 9,064 |
|
$ 79,083 |
|
$ 11,103 |
Indiana |
$ 116,827 |
|
$ 15,123 |
|
$ 131,950 |
|
$ 18,526 |
Jefferson |
$ 76,508 |
|
$ 9,904 |
|
$ 86,412 |
|
$ 12,132 |
Juniata |
$ 20,672 |
|
$ 2,676 |
|
$ 23,348 |
|
$ 3,278 |
Lackawanna |
$ 265,664 |
|
$ 34,391 |
|
$ 300,055 |
|
$ 42,128 |
Lancaster |
$ 399,576 |
|
$ 51,726 |
|
$ 451,302 |
|
$ 63,363 |
Lawrence |
$ 156,478 |
|
$ 20,256 |
|
$ 176,734 |
|
$ 24,814 |
Lebanon |
$ 118,749 |
|
$ 15,372 |
|
$ 134,121 |
|
$ 18,831 |
Lehigh |
$ 366,984 |
|
$ 47,507 |
|
$ 414,491 |
|
$ 58,195 |
Luzerne |
$ 421,383 |
|
$ 54,549 |
|
$ 475,932 |
|
$ 66,821 |
Lycoming |
$ 157,111 |
|
$ 20,338 |
|
$ 177,449 |
|
$ 24,914 |
McKean |
$ 78,548 |
|
$ 10,168 |
|
$ 88,716 |
|
$ 12,456 |
Mercer |
$ 186,200 |
|
$ 24,104 |
|
$ 210,304 |
|
$ 29,527 |
Mifflin |
$ 72,291 |
|
$ 9,358 |
|
$ 81,649 |
|
$ 11,464 |
Monroe |
$ 169,796 |
|
$ 21,980 |
|
$ 191,776 |
|
$ 26,926 |
Montgomery |
$ 411,727 |
|
$ 53,299 |
|
$ 465,026 |
|
$ 65,290 |
Montour |
$ 20,379 |
|
$ 2,638 |
|
$ 23,017 |
|
$ 3,232 |
Northampton |
$ 239,382 |
|
$ 30,988 |
|
$ 270,370 |
|
$ 37,960 |
Northumberland |
$ 109,571 |
|
$ 14,184 |
|
$ 123,755 |
|
$ 17,375 |
Perry |
$ 43,028 |
|
$ 5,570 |
|
$ 48,598 |
|
$ 6,823 |
Philadelphia |
$ 3,687,498 |
|
$ 477,353 |
|
$ 4,164,851 |
|
$ 584,750 |
Pike |
$ 42,858 |
|
$ 5,548 |
|
$ 48,406 |
|
$ 6,796 |
Potter |
$ 29,463 |
|
$ 3,814 |
|
$ 33,277 |
|
$ 4,672 |
Schuylkill |
$ 179,992 |
|
$ 23,300 |
|
$ 203,292 |
|
$ 28,542 |
Snyder |
$ 36,184 |
|
$ 4,684 |
|
$ 40,868 |
|
$ 5,738 |
Somerset |
$ 116,338 |
|
$ 15,060 |
|
$ 131,398 |
|
$ 18,448 |
Sullivan |
$ 8,405 |
|
$ 1,088 |
|
$ 9,493 |
|
$ 1,333 |
Susquehanna |
$ 61,584 |
|
$ 7,972 |
|
$ 69,556 |
|
$ 9,766 |
Tioga |
$ 56,902 |
|
$ 7,366 |
|
$ 64,268 |
|
$ 9,023 |
Union |
$ 33,017 |
|
$ 4,274 |
|
$ 37,291 |
|
$ 5,236 |
Venango |
$ 102,356 |
|
$ 13,250 |
|
$ 115,606 |
|
$ 16,231 |
Warren |
$ 62,681 |
|
$ 8,114 |
|
$ 70,795 |
|
$ 9,940 |
Washington |
$ 252,963 |
|
$ 32,746 |
|
$ 285,709 |
|
$ 40,114 |
Wayne |
$ 61,692 |
|
$ 7,986 |
|
$ 69,678 |
|
$ 9,783 |
Westmoreland |
$ 413,986 |
|
$ 53,591 |
|
$ 467,577 |
|
$ 65,648 |
Wyoming |
$ 37,698 |
|
$ 4,880 |
|
$ 42,578 |
|
$ 5,978 |
York |
$ 323,878 |
|
$ 41,927 |
|
$ 365,805 |
|
$ 51,359 |
Total |
$15,449,787 |
|
$ 2,000,000 |
|
$ 17,449,787 |
|
$ 2,449,970 |
During Fiscal Year 2004-05, an additional $1 million is allocated from the State Food Purchase Program for payment of transportation and distribution costs of TEFAP bonus commodities. These commodities are then distributed to the counties as requested. This table assumes that the amount allocated during 2005-06 for this purpose would also be reduced by 14.04 percent.
For more information contact Pennsylvania Hunger Action via
e-mail or call 717-561-0001.
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