Within the break up vote, the commissioners go the meals financial institution cash to the Pittsburgh group on native information

Two out of three Washington County Commissioners voted Thursday to send state and federal money allocations to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank rather than the local Washington County one.

The vote between Commission Chair Diana Irey Vaughan and Commissioner Nick Sherman will bring the Pittsburgh organization just over $ 280,000 from the Interim Food Aid Program and the Pennsylvania State Food Purchase Program.

The two commissioners cited an outcry from constituents, particularly in the Mon Valley, over the closure of local food pantries and the lack of transportation to get to consolidated locations.

“Donora and Somerset were particularly angry about this,” said Irey Vaughan after the meeting.

“We had to look for other ways we could best serve these communities,” added Sherman.

“These are only two contracts,” continued Irey Vaughan. “However, the Washington County Food Bank, which we will continue to support, must ensure that our citizens receive as much grants and services as they need. In this way, we can restore some of the sales locations that were eliminated in the last two years. “

The Greater Washington County Food Bank reduced 22 local pantries to nine.

“Our job as commissioners, if we are the administrators of these contracts and we know that we can have more product and that additional product in more communities, then we need to make that change. That is the responsibility we have to bear in the service of our constituents, ”said Irey Vaughan.

Vice-chairman of the commission, Larry Maggi, voted against the allocation of the money to the Duquesne-based organization Greater Pittsburgh.

“I haven’t received any pending complaints about the food bank,” said Maggi. “I can’t see how this unit (in Allegheny County) can better serve our voters.

“As a county commissioner, I want to keep business local, I want to keep our services local. I want to do business with people in the county as much as possible.

Washington County’s Human Services Administrator Kimberly Rogers said “The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank will administer all of the groceries received through these two county contracts to distribute and exclusively serve Washington County’s residents.”

A former commissioner also weighed in on Zoom as a private person on Thursday morning. Harlan Shober of Chartiers Township asked the commissioners to investigate further before making a change.

However, the vote took place a short time later.

Lisa Scales, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, said in a press release, “Our focus remains the same, understanding the needs of the communities we serve and strengthening our food aid network.

“This includes working directly and collaboratively with the Washington County pantries to develop a shared vision and meet Washington County’s food aid needs.”

Rogers said recipients wouldn’t immediately notice a difference in nutrition programs, but a director of the Pittsburgh organization outlined the next steps.

“We need to speak to the pantry network to understand what service they offer and what needs they have in the community,” said Charlese McKinney, director of partner network programs for the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank.

“We will meet with the entire network, but also with each individual pantry member, and compare it with the general needs of the county to identify the gaps in service and find the best way to fix them.”

The economic consequences of the novel coronavirus pandemic have increased the needs of hungry people.

State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said in a press release that before the COVID-19 strike, almost one in ten Pennsylvanians is at risk of going hungry. The economic consequences of the pandemic brought 630,000 people to those in need of food.

The government of Governor Tom Wolf noted in a press release Thursday that the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System has funded the processing and distribution of more than four million pounds of surplus food from farmers in the state who have gone to food banks in all 67 counties.

The US $ 10 million Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funds were tied with US $ 1.5 million in government funds granted under the 2019 Pennsylvania Farm Bill, which was included in the 2020 state budget. 21 was renewed.

Pennsylvania also invested $ 10 million in CARES Act funds in a fresh food finance initiative to increase the capacity of retailers in low-income communities.

Applications for SNAP, formerly known as grocery stamps, Medicaid, and other public aid programs can be submitted online at www.compass.state.pa.us.