Baker Administration announces programs to address food insecurity

June 3, 2020 | Sarah Heinonen
sarah@thereminder.com

BOSTON – On May 26, Gov. Charlie Baker announced a host of food insecurity programs designed to help residents with access to nutritious food in spite of the financial struggle many are facing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The programs are the result of work done by the Baker-Polito Administration’s Food Security Task Force, which convened in mid-April to examine issues around disruptions to the food supply chain and connecting sources of food to those that need it most.

Previously, the administration had announced that $56 million would be allocated to address food insecurity, which was at the recommendation of the task force. The funding breaks down to $36 million for food security infrastructure, $5 million for the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), $3 million to support food banks, and $12 million for family food boxes to be sent to the food banks. The money will “jumpstart” recommendations from the food task force, Baker said.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders said there is increased food insecurity throughout the state, but noted “gateway cities” have been the hardest hit.

In the state’s four western counties, Christina Maxwell, director of programs for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts told Reminder Publishing that demand for food bank services was up 23 percent in April over the same period last year. Food insecurity has increased 47 percent from pre-COVID-19 levels, she added. One of the reasons Maxwell cited for this is an increase in the cost of food.

To address the cost of food, the administration has begun and expanded several programs. A pandemic EBT program was begun through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Families with children that would have received free or reduced lunch, had they been in school, will receive the assistance. The benefit will allot $5.70 per child for each school day left in the calendar.

“The pandemic EBT card is obviously food directly - money directly - in families’ pockets to buy food for their families,” Sudders said.

The administration has also expanded funding that allows for more fresh produce through HIP.
“Farmers markets are starting to open up,” Maxwell said. She explained that HIP benefits allow SNAP beneficiaries to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at approved farmer's markets, farm stands, mobile markets and farm share programs, and have the value of that purchase added to their EBT card, thus stretching their food-buying dollars.

Another change will allow SNAP users to purchase food online, which allows them to limit their time in supermarkets and the chance of contracting the coronavirus. As of now, only walmart.com and amazon.com have been approved as retailers.

“It’s an important step forward so that people who use SNAP can take advantage of curbside pickup,” Maxwell said.

There is also support for food banks in the funding and distribution of 25,000 family food boxes per week. The boxes, each containing 35 meals, began being delivered to all four regional food banks the week of May 25.

Maxwell said the boxes would be added to the inventory of the food banks’ online ordering portal. From there, they can be accessed by any of the 175 local food banks that work with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

The boxes contain prepackaged meals which Maxwell said will help cut down the amount of prep work done at the food banks.

In addition to the increased cost of food, there has been a disruption to the availability of certain types of food.

“Where we’re seeing challenges is with the variety of food we can offer rather than the quantity,” Maxwell said, which is largely due to the pandemic’s effect on food supply chains.

“We’ve spoken with many farmers, fishers and other local producers who’ve lost major institutional markets and are struggling to plan for the growing season ahead due to uncertainty around these markets, available labor and their ability to distribute and sell food,” Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theoharides said at the governor’s May 26 press conference.

An infrastructure grant program has been created to help producers adapt to disruption in supply chains and create programs to feed food-insecure residents. Applications can be submitted beginning in early June and recipients are eligible for up to $500,000. Theoharides said programs that will help in the immediate, as well as the long-term, will be most likely to receive the funding.

To learn more about pandemic EBT, visit www.masspebt.org. For information on applying for SNAP, visit www.mass.gov/snap-benefits-formerly-food-stamps.

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