DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — While the State budget remains delayed more than 30 days past due, state programs are struggling to stay afloat due to limited funding.
The Central PA Food Bank CEO, Shila Ulrich, said that in Dauphin County, two out of five children are food insecure.
Now, without state dollars, local pantries and food banks are unable to purchase as much food for families and children in need.
“PASS really affects our local farmers who we purchase from in order to supply our partner agencies,” Ulrich said. “And then State Food [Purchase] Program funds that allow our local pantry providers to buy food from us and other retailers.”
Food banks, farmers and families have already started to feel the impact of a delayed budget, especially in Dauphin County where more than 37,000 people have a hard time finding food, according to the food bank.
“It’s hitting at a time when the cuts to the local food purchase assistance program, that has just now ended — funding for that ran out at the end of July. So it’s just kind of a perfect storm of things happening,” said Lauren Duff, chief public affairs officer with Feeding Pennsylvania.
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Without state funding, the food bank’s CEO says their team is doing the best they can to make it work with what they have now.
“Just through some of the promise of repayment and IOU, if you will, we’re able to manage it,” Duff said.
Pennsylvania legislators said they know the delay is affecting districts and food pantries, which is why they’re pushing for more urgency.
“I know you’re getting calls about it, I’m getting calls about it,” said State Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia. “It’s time to just get the whole thing done. Let’s wrap this — let’s just get this whole thing done and move forward.”
State Senate Republican Majority Leader Joe Pittman responded in a statement, saying his caucus is “focused on substantive actions and advancing fiscally responsible measures to address the needs of individuals and families.”
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“You know, as frustrating as that might be, I really — we really—at the food bank try to take it down to the neighbor-level and say, ‘Look, there are people who are hungry today because we didn’t get things done that we needed to,'” said Ulrich.
Part of Governor Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal for the 2025-26 fiscal year included a $4 million increase for PASS, or Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System, and another $4 million for the State Food Purchase Program.
CBS 21 News reached out to the governor’s office for his response to how this delay will impact farmers and food banks.
So far, we have not heard back.
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