Dear Vermont Policy Makers:

Thank you for recognizing the incredible need for funding to help Vermonters who are facing food insecurity during the COVID pandemic. Because of your actions, children and families throughout Vermont will have an increased access to the food they need for at least the next several months. We know this crisis will not end in December when the Coronavirus Relief Funds run out, but the funds you have allocated will help to alleviate the immediate need, and we are hopeful that we can continue to work together to ensure that all people living in Vermont have access to nutritious food for themselves and their families as we recover from this crisis.

Thanks to the actions of the legislature and the Agency of Education, Vermont has allocated $12 million for summer meals for children and youth and $4.7 million for the Vermont Foodbank to distribute food through its many partners. These funds are specifically for extra expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic through the end of the calendar year. This funding  is already helping schools and other summer meals sponsors make the commitment to feed all children and youth, ages 0-18 up to 2 meals each day throughout the summer. Specifically, these funds will help summer meal programs cover increased transportation and packaging expenses, new equipment needed, and other extra costs that come with the creative and innovative ways that they are serving children and youth while following best practices to keep everyone safe this summer.

The funds will also help the charitable food system keep their staff, volunteers and participants safe while meeting the increased need. Funds will be made available to the Foodbank’s partner organizations to help ensure they have what they need to navigate the crisis and respond to the 46% increase in food insecurity our state has seen since mid-March. Additionally, thanks to this funding, the Foodbank will be able to resource the Farmers to Families Food Box distributions, helping bring nearly 1.6 million pounds of additional fresh food per month to our neighbors in need. The Coronavirus Relief Funds will also allow the Foodbank to purchase food directly from Vermont farmers, providing a consistent market for farmers this year, and ensuring fresh, local produce is available to everyone in our state. As the Foodbank operates at unparalleled levels, distributing up to 190% more food each month than ever before, these funds will ensure they can maintain that momentum, and continue to meet the increased demand in innovative new ways that support local farmers and businesses and leverage partnerships across the state.

We hope that as the legislature reconvenes in August, we will be able to work with you to ensure that Vermont schools can continue to meet the increased costs associated with serving meals to students both at school and when learning from home, and that they have access to funds to purchase local foods for the 2020-21 school year. Together we can support our farmers and ensure that all children are getting fresh, local food and the best nutrition possible.

Again, we thank you for your commitment to and investment in food security. Without this strong investment, many more Vermonters would be feeling the effects of food insecurity this summer and fall.

Sincerely,

John Sayles, CEO, Vermont Foodbank
Betsy Rosenbluth, Project Director, Vermont FEED
Grace Oedel, Executive Director, Northeast Organic Farming Association – Vermont
Anore Horton, Executive Director, Hunger Free Vermont