DELAWARE- With emergency food assistance in jeopardy, Delaware lawmakers are supporting hungry neighbors as concerns grow over a massive cut to the nation’s food bank supplies.
On Tuesday, April 1, Newark-area members of the Delaware House Democratic Caucus will partner with the Food Bank of Delaware to host a donation drive. A similar event will be held Thursday, April 3, at the Food Bank’s Milford branch, organized by Milford-area state senators.
The Food Bank of Delaware says the cuts will cancel the delivery of 750,000 pounds of food, about 900,000 meals, between April and July 2025. More than half the food the organization distributed in February came from the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides fresh produce, dairy, protein and shelf-stable items to food banks nationwide.
“One in 8 Delawareans is food insecure. And in recent months, rising costs have led to an increased demand for the Food Bank of Delaware’s services. As a regular volunteer at the Food Bank, I have seen this with my own eyes,” said Rep. Eric Morrison.
The decision to cancel food deliveries is part of a broader concern among federal lawmakers. U.S. Senators Chris Coons of Delaware and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota led a letter with 24 colleagues demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy.” said senators in a letter.
Food Bank of Delaware President and CEO Cathy Kanefsky emphasized the urgency of the situation. “We are a state of neighbors here in Delaware. During challenging times, we always work together to help meet the needs of our community. The support of our community is needed now more than ever."
The public is encouraged to drop off essential items including cereals, peanut butter, canned fruits and meats, vegetables and rice or pasta during Tuesday’s event in Newark from 6 to 8 p.m., or Thursday in Milford during the same time frame. Donations are also accepted at both Food Bank locations during regular business hours, or online.
