Staying in State College an update now on a Centre County based program to help feed those in need.
As Gary Sinderson reports organizers say they are trying to keep pace with growing demands.
The Centre County YMCA anti hunger program continues to provide basic food necessities to families in both Centre and Clearfield counties. At a distribution event Thursday in State College a surprise
“We ran out of food. we probably could of done double what we did”
And that wasn’t due to Penn State students showing up for free food. It was community members here who lined up early. Students were here as volunteers, while also raising awareness about hunger on campus
“People a lot of times will thin Penn State students don’t struggle with money issues or food insecurity, but we really do, there’s always issues”
The demand the number of those in need wanting basic food necessities, continues to increase. Agencies doing what they can to meet demand, even statewide Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture dong more with fresh farm products
“We have done some exciting things with surplus products in agriculture, we’ve taken surplus milk and processed it into cheese. we’ve taken surplus eggs and processed them.
Along with increased demand, there’s been covid, supply chain issues and now the new impact of inflation
“A lot of smaller agencies cant do what were doing, the food isn’t there, due to the supply issues, so were taking up the slack for many of those organizations”
Because of Thursday’s outcome, the Y’s food distribution program will hold another event in State College in two weeks.
