PHOTO RELEASE: Rep. Blunt Rochester Announces Over $84,000 in Community Project Funding for Food Bank of Delaware Milford Location
Milford,
April 4, 2024
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Victoria Panzera
(302-753-7684)
Above: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Food Bank of Delaware President, and CEO Cathy Kanefsky, Food Bank of Delaware Vice President of External Affairs Chad Robinson, and Food Bank of Delaware employees stand in part of the space that will become the Hunger Relief Garden.
In March, Blunt Rochester and U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) secured nearly $154 million in funding for Delaware projects, which included over $14 million in Community Project Funding. These investments were included in the government funding packages that were signed into law by President Biden and respond directly to some of the most pressing needs in Delaware.
“We know that too many families across our state are food insecure, and that number was only exacerbated by the pandemic. That’s why the Food Bank of Delaware’s services, which provide individuals and families in Delaware with access to fresh produce, are so important,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “I’m proud to have secured over $84,000 in Community Project Funding for the Food Bank to create a Hunger Relief Garden at its new Milford facility. This garden will go a long way to combat hunger, increase access to healthy foods, and have a positive effect on health outcomes. Today’s announcement brings us one step closer making each of these things a reality for residents in Kent and Sussex Counties.”
“This funding will help the Food Bank of Delaware with its noble mission of strengthening our communities and making sure no one goes hungry,” said Senator Carper. “I’m proud of the work the Food Bank does to provide fresh, healthy choices to Delawareans in need, and I will continue to work with our congressional delegation to support those efforts in Washington.”
“Even as our economy improves, too many families up and down Delaware struggle with hunger and malnourishment, and the Food Bank of Delaware meets our neighbors where they are to limit the number of Delawareans who go hungry,” said Senator Coons, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “Under the leadership of Cathy Kanefsky, the Food Bank of Delaware has faced every recent challenge facing Delawareans head on. These new funds are one more step in a series of federal investments we’ve secured over the past few years to help the Food Bank embark on new and successful chapters.”
“We are grateful to Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester and Delaware’s federal delegation for this critical funding that will help ensure we can get more fresh, locally-grown produce to our neighbors in need,” said Cathy Kanefsky, President and CEO of the Food Bank of Delaware. “For us, it’s not just about distributing as much food as possible. It’s about distributing nutritious foods that will nourish families. The garden here at the Milford branch will enable us to do that. In addition to growing fresh produce, we will also be able to use this garden to educate our community about where their food comes from and how important agriculture is for the First State; it truly is a win-win for all.”
The produce grown in the Hunger Relief Garden will be distributed onsite at the Healthy Pantry Center and through community partners. The Hunger Relief Garden will allow the Food Bank of Delaware to produce and sell to the community through their on-site community market/café. The packing barn will enable them to pack produce straight from the farm and store other needed equipment and tools.
Blunt Rochester, alongside U.S. Senators Carper and Coons, secured $7 million for the Food Bank of Delaware’s Milford facility through the American Rescue Plan Act, which passed Congress and was signed into law by President Biden in 2021.
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