Ann Arbor’s Food Gatherers is feeling the impact of funding cuts by the United States Department of Agriculture.
The organization was recently informed that food donations through the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program have been cancelled.
Food Gatherers President and CEO Eileen Spring says it represents half of their USDA food and 15% of their total food distribution. She says that works out to about 1.2 million meals.
“We really just received official notice a few weeks ago. So, we are seeking to make up that loss through local support and through local food purchasing, but it will be tricky to do so.”
The Local Food Purchase Grant, also funded by the USDA via the Community Credit Corporation, was also eliminated. It had allowed food banks and schools to purchase food from local farmers.
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