BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Officials from the Greater Boston Food Bank say cuts to federal funding will make it more difficult for food-insecure people in Massachusetts to feed themselves and their families.
GBFB, New England's largest hunger relief agency, said it is facing a reduction of nearly $2.3 million worth of food items.
The USDA announced the cuts that are being made to the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance program.
From its distribution center in South Boston, the GBFB provides healthy food to more than 600 partner agencies including food pantries, soup kitchens, meal programs, and senior centers.
But GBFB Chief Operating Officer Cheryl Schondek said local families are taking a big hit after the announced cuts. "The impact at the GBFB is huge," she said.
School lunches are one of the programs affected. "What are we going to have to do? Fund-raise. Or find an alternate way to feed those in need to make up that gap," she said.
Schondek said the timing of the cuts is especially bad given the difficulties people are already having affording food. "This is going to span between now and the end of the year," she said. "So, we are going to be feeling the pain every week," she said.
With more than 600,000 clients to feed each month, the pressure is on the GFSB to make it happen. "My job is to get food out to those in need," she said. "We have to find a way."
WBZ News Radio's James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.