by CHARLES DENNIS
Executive Director
Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland
Food banks in Kentucky’s Heartland work hard to support families, seniors, veterans and other individuals facing hunger. But with demand rising, we need strong federal programs like The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) to keep up. TEFAP provides over 20 percent of the food moving through Feeding America network of food banks and faith-based pantries, connecting surplus American-grown food to families facing hunger while supporting farmers and rural economies.
The program is a critical lifeline for working families. For the 37 percent of individuals experiencing food insecurity who likely earn too much to qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides temporary grocery purchasing assistance, food banks are one of the few resources they can turn to. TEFAP helps food banks ensure these families can access the nutritious food they need. Without it, our partner agencies across the region will face longer lines, fewer resources and greater strain.
TEFAP is a win-win: It helps American farmers and puts nutritious food on the tables of hardworking families experiencing tough times. We hope to work with Senator McConnell, Senator Paul, Congressman Comer, and Congressman Guthrie to ensure that no bills under consideration include reductions to food assistance programs that might jeopardize negotiations for a strong, bipartisan farm bill. The longer a farm bill is delayed, the longer food banks, American agriculture, rural communities and working families must wait for critical investment in TEFAP.
