In a bid to propel the food supply chain amid COVID-19 fallout, the Baker-Polito administration has announced that state will be infusing $56m to counter food insecurities concerns in Massachusetts.

Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito were quoted saying that the funding was in line with the research of the Food Security Task Force. The group is said to have prioritized over 80 recommendations aimed at bolstering an emergency food program; augmenting federal resources for food and nutrition, and reinforcing the food system infrastructure; and fortifying the food bank system.

The State Secretary of Health and Human Services and COVID-19 Command Center director Marylou Sudders is reported to have told that the well established assistance programs are witnessing considerable surge in applications following unprecedented demand for community-based food banks, while local grocers and farmers are grappling to keep up with the demands of consumers.

The state expects the biggest tranche of the funding—$36 million—to help them build a food security infrastructure grant program, thereby leveraging families and individuals in need to easily access food.

The funding is said to propel a slew of services, such as food banks; local food distribution partners; food delivery; food pantries; novel ways to enable families leveraging benefits of Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program and nutrition program for women, children and infants (WIC) benefits, to get an easy access to food. Besides, the grant is also believed to provide solutions for urban farming and farms, fisheries, retailers and other food businesses which are witnessing disruption owing to COVID-19 fallout.

While $3 million has been earmarked for immediate relief to food banks, $12 million is likely to be spent to offer 25,000 family food boxes per week via a regional food supply system.

News has surfaced that Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) will be bolstered by five million dollars funding to keep up with the surged demand for local produce and offer families with more access points for HIP and SNAP benefits.
 

Source credit:

https://www.masslive.com/coronavirus/2020/05/massachusetts-invests-56m-to-combat-food-insecurity-amid-coronavirus.html