In grocery stores we’re again seeing some food goods in short supply or not available at all.
So what does that mean for programs aimed at feeding school students and families in need?
Gary Sinderson takes a closer look.
Were here at the main headquarters for the Centre County YMCA’s anti hunger program. Their food warehouse in the Moshannon Valley.
As you can see there’s plenty of food here now,but are their problems looming for their food supply line for this program they remain in good shape in terms of receiving needed food deliveries.
A lot comes from the same distributors that service grocery stores. Some of the food supplies goes to students meals through school districts and there are problems elsewhere
“In Pittsburgh the school districts are having problems with meals. The supplier doesn’t have enough people and they were told to cut back orders by 20 percent. With 126 school districts in Pittsburgh,
that’s thousands of kids. That’s the kind of problems were having ”
Its evidence that there’s still plenty of need in providing even basic meals
“You go to Feeding America and in Centre County the numbers are high. Centre County is more than the Centre region,and ironically there’s a lot of farms growing vegetables,and we need to do a
better job getting that food out”
One idea here at the Centre County YMCA a gardening education program for kids
“You know you teach a kid to hunt and fish, and they know how to eat for life. add the vegetable component and they become self sustaining”
Curtis says they’re currently reviewing possible sites for the gardening program
Since last Spring the Centre County YMCA has now distributed more than four million pounds of food in Centre and Clearfield counties.