Photo courtesy of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
In November, 1,240 hunger relief organizations, religious congregations, student groups, human service agencies and other charitable organizations signed a letter asking Gov. Tom Corbett to increase funding for the State Food Purchase Program (SFPP) to $21 million. In December and January, another 700 anti-hunger advocates sent e-mails directly to the governor’s office seeking the increase, and hundreds of others made phones calls urging support for SFPP, one of our most important tools in the fight against hunger. Next up? That’s us … On Feb. 24, members of Hunger-Free Pennsylvania --- including representatives of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Philabundance, Second Harvest Food Bank of Lehigh Valley & NE PA, and SHARE Food Program --- delivered packets to each and every one of our 252 elected officials in the House and Senate. Legislators are wrapping up budget hearings right now, and discussion will begin in earnest soon to craft the state’s 2014-15 spending plan. The governor’s budget, unveiled Feb. 4, essentially flat-lined SFPP funding at $17.338 million. If funding simply kept pace with food prices, the program would need $24.6 million just to break even. You’ve made clear that SFPP funding should be increased. We appreciate that support and will continue our push throughout the budget debate. Springtime in Harrisburg is nice, which is good, because we plan to be there a lot this year making the case.