January 13, 2017

Manchin Announces $285,000 In Funding To Feed West Virginians

Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced that West Virginia has received $285,000 in funding and 5,000 caseload slots for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP).

“With more than 23 percent of West Virginia seniors living below the poverty level, I am glad that our state is receiving this funding to help distribute nutritious food to people in need,” said Senator Manchin, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This funding will go a long way in helping the Mountaineer Food Bank and Facing Hunger Food Bank provide these important services to West Virginians struggling to keep food on the table for themselves and their families. In March of last year, I was proud to push for robust funding for these food banks, so they can continue providing such an essential service to our state’s most vulnerable.” 

CSFP is administered by the USDA and works to improve the health of low-income elderly persons at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA Foods.  Last year, Senator Manchin worked with the state’s two food banks, Mountaineer Food Bank and Facing Hunger Food Bank, to help develop a state plan to bring the CSFP program to the Mountain State. Under the agreement, funding is allocated to the West Virginia Department of Agriculture and the food banks distribute the CSFP food to participants. In 2015, these food banks were able to distribute nearly 13 million pounds of food to West Virginians who are food insecure.

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