Gov. Tom Wolf this week asked Washington to ease restrictions on federal food assistance programs, to help meet the needs of a growing number of families economically affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
The approval has been granted.
Pennsylvania has gotten the go-ahead to proceed with a Disaster Household Distribution program, which will allow state officials to ensure that families facing lay offs as a result of the coronavirus are able to eat and feed their children.
“Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians have applied for unemployment compensation after just two weeks of COVID-19 mitigation efforts. I’m incredibly grateful for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s acknowledgement of our need to feed Pennsylvania,” Wolf said. “This waiver lifts a weight off the shoulders of our food banks and families across the commonwealth.”
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Pennsylvania has seen an unprecedented number of initial claims for unemployment compensation, Wolf noted. Charitable food systems are struggling to meet the increased demands of Pennsylvanians who are temporarily out of work.
According to the state Department of Labor and Industry in the last week, more than 749,000 state residents have filed for unemployment. Pennsylvania is among states with the fastest-rising unemployment.
Wolf this week had written to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue asking that Washington waive eligibility requirements for a number of programs, including the Emergency Food Assistance Program, amid an uptick in cases of coronavirus.
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding has received approval for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to proceed with the disaster food distribution program, which is being operated through a network of food banks, food pantries and pop-up distribution sites.
“The unified, bipartisan support we saw as we pushed for this waiver is proof that we’re truly all in this together,” added Redding. “We will overcome this trial; and until that day, we will work hand in hand – figuratively, of course – to provide for the Pennsylvanians who are sacrificing so much for the sake of protecting their neighbors.”
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