Pittsburgh Review

On December 15, Gov. Tom Wolf released the final food security report of his time in office, and it showed that since 2015 there has been a 37% decrease in food insecurity.

The report is through the Governor’s Food Security Partnership, according to a release by Wolf. When Wolf took office it was estimated that there were 1.8 million residents with food insecurity, as well as 564,440 food-insecure children. This report found that there were 1.13 million residents with food insecurity and 347,720 children. Wolf signed an executive order that created the Pennsylvania Food Policy Council to improve access to food for residents across the state.

“Food is a basic human right that has the power to change lives,” Wolf said. “This Food Policy Council will work for the people of Pennsylvania; to improve their everyday lives and our collective future. It is our responsibility and our duty to take hunger off the table.”

The council is designed to evaluate the state’s food system and create ways to improve food security while also reducing food waste. The council will consist of nine people including a director and the secretaries of the Departments of Aging, Agriculture, Education, Environmental Protection, Health, Human Services, and Labor and Industry.

The council will make recommendations for coordination, communication and joint planning with the agencies and also members of the private sector. Recommendations will also be made to improve partnerships and reach those at the highest risk of hunger; recommendations for food waste reduction; creating strategies to expand the state’s use of agricultural products; and create a Food Action Plan that will be updated every other year

Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf have made it a priority to fight hunger in Pennsylvania. This has included investing in cold storage infrastructure for food banks; funding the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System to help farmers; rebranding the Pennsylvania Senior Food Box Program and improving the system by removing income requirements and offering DoorDash delivery; improving access to fresh foods through the Fresh Food Financing Initiative and PA Farm Bill Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Program; advocating for healthy meals for children; raising income eligibility for Pennsylvanians for the food pantries from 150% to 185%; and increasing access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Wolf increased funding by $2 million for the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus Program in his budget, which brings it to $4.5 million in total. He also secured $1 million in the Hunger Free Campus Initiative. 

“Because of the collaborative efforts between public, private, and nonprofit partners, nearly 700,000 of our neighbors, friends, and colleagues no longer have to wonder when or where they may find their next meal, said First Lady Wolf. “And while many of us will not be content until hunger is fully eradicated, we must take this moment to appreciate how far we’ve come, learn from our experiences, and rededicate ourselves to creating a Pennsylvania that is truly hunger-free.”