MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Midwest Food Bank PA will hold a ribbon cutting event at its new distribution center Friday morning. This is the food bank's first location in Pennsylvania.
Midwest Food Bank is a faith-based organization aimed at alleviating hunger and malnutrition locally and throughout the world. They gather food donations and distribute them to non-profit organizations including food pantries, senior adult centers, soup kitchens, churches and more.
In Pennsylvania, 1 in 8 households are food insecure, and that number is expected to increase because of the pandemic. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 1.53 million Pennsylvanians experienced chronic hunger every day, including 478,500 older Pennsylvanians and about 437,000 children.
The Pennsylvania Division will be the ninth domestic location for Midwest Food Bank. The warehouse will be strategically located to also serve New Jersey and New York, aligning with MFB's existing remote distribution in New York City.
Causes of increased food insecurity for individuals include:
- COVID-19 Pennsylvania’s strong COVID-19 mitigation efforts have left hundreds of thousands out of work, as non-life sustaining businesses closed their doors for the health of Pennsylvania as a whole.
- Lack of Awareness of Existing Resources Federal, state, and local programs may not be fully utilized.
- Difficulty Finding Resource Information Information is siloed and can be hard to find, especially for people who may have never had to access community supports before.
- Existing Benefit Shortcomings Usual supports may not be able to stretch far enough to cover the increased need.
- Job Loss More than 1.6 million Pennsylvanians have filed for unemployment compensation, widening the base of need across the state.
- Isolation Older adults, those who are immunocompromised, those struggling with mental health or substance-use disorders, and families with infants and toddlers may have a harder time getting food as social distancing results in seclusion.
- Transportation Stay-at-home orders and recommendation that individuals wear masks while in public complicate normal transportation, especially public transportation. Lack of Commonwealth-wide broadband access limits use of online ordering and delivery services for groceries, medicine, and other necessities, makes it harder for local businesses to adapt to offer online services, and hinders online searches for and applications for assistance.
- Supply Chain Challenges The food supply chain is struggling to balance supply and demand challenges that arise with a shifting marketplace, resulting in supply challenges for grocery stores and the charitable food system.
- Socioeconomic Status A combination of social, financial, educational, and geographic barriers make it harder than usual for those in need to access food.
More information on the services Midwest Food Bank PA provide, click here.