Central Pennsylvania Food Bank Receives $55,000 Grant from the Walmart Foundation
HARRISBURG, PA (August 27, 2018) – The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank today announced a $55,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation to help fight hunger in the 27 central Pennsylvania counties it serves through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) education and outreach. SNAP is the largest federal program dedicated to providing aid to millions of low-income individuals and families in hunger insecure communities. Yet, 17 percent of Americans eligible for SNAP currently do not receive this benefit. Only 42 percent of eligible seniors are enrolled.
With this grant, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank hopes to scale access to SNAP among eligible households, with particular emphasis on reaching seniors, families with children, and other vulnerable populations including college students and Spanish-speaking households. The grant will be used to enhance SNAP screening services for eligible individuals and to work closer with state and partner agencies to identify individuals needing SNAP services and provide outreach.
“We are thrilled to receive this Walmart Foundation grant to further our SNAP outreach efforts,” said Joe Arthur, Executive Director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. “SNAP is vital to thousands of central Pennsylvania families and their children, as well as many elderly, veteran, and other struggling neighbors. This grant will allow us to identify and reach even more Pennsylvanians that are likely eligible for SNAP, to help them access the nutrition they need to stay healthy, while helping our local economy as well.”
SNAP provides more than nutrition assistance; it helps improve families’ overall well-being. With lower grocery bills, people are better able to pay for other basic necessities—rent or mortgages, medical expenses, utilities and transportation. According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service Report, SNAP is critical to moving families into long-term food security.
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation provide donations of both food and funds to the Feeding America nationwide network of 200 food banks. Locally, Walmart volunteers from the local stores and distribution center regularly volunteer at the Food Bank. Every year, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is a proud partner of Walmart’s Fight Hunger Spark Change campaign, regularly receiving more than $200,000 from the generosity of Walmart’s customers.
For more information about what the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is doing to fight hunger, visit www.centralpafoodbank.org.
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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, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank serves more than 150,000 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. Connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/centralpafoodbank and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @centralpafb.
