HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — September is Hunger Action Month. The state and Pennsylvania food banks are working together to feed hungry Pennsylvanians, and the pandemic has made things even more difficult for so many families.
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank has big plans this month but reminds Pennsylvanians, you can help out any time of year.
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"We have a virtual food drive happening right here in September that we're hoping to raise $100,000 through the virtual food drive," Jennifer Sands, Communications and Marketing Manager, Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, said.
You can also set up your own virtual food drive any time of year.
"A donation of just one dollar helps us provide up to six nutritious meals," Sands said.
There will also be a virtual town hall on September 16th. The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank will update the community on what they’re doing, including lessons learned from the pandemic.
"Over the past year, 18 months, we have served roughly 450,00 individuals, families, seniors, veterans and roughly we're serving about 152,000 of them each and every month. We are still facing a high demand. It has leveled off a little bit since the pandemic began, but it is still higher than it was in 2019 and we expect it to remain high for at least two years," Sands said.
"A recent survey from the U.S. Census Bureau found that about 620,000 adults in Pennsylvania reported not having enough to eat," said Meg Snead, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Acting Secretary.
A change to SNAP benefits is coming soon.
"The Biden administration recently announced that effective October first, SNAP benefits will increase to reflect the cost of fresh, healthy food around the country. This will increase monthly benefits by about 25 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels," Snead said.
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