Midwest Food Bank agencies to benefit from USDA program

Midwest Food Bank is participating in a new USDA program benefitting food suppliers as well as those in need. The program is called the Farmers to Family Food Box Program.

The USDA is partnering with national, regional, and local suppliers, who have been significantly impacted by the closure of food service businesses. The USDA will purchase up to $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy and meat products. The suppliers will package these products into family-sized boxes and transport them to MFB. Through its participation, each Midwest Food Bank location will be receiving 3-5 semi loads of this food weekly. On average, 2,000 families per location will receive the food each week. Midwest Food Bank will be increasing distribution days to ensure efficient delivery of the food.

"The quick structuring of this program has allowed Midwest Food Bank to efficiently get food into the hands of those who need it," says David Kieser, President and Founder of Midwest Food Bank. "We are blessed with dedicated teams of volunteers to facilitate the moving of this food. As a farmer, it is gratifying to be a part of a program helping those in need and food producers."

The Farmers to Family Food Box Program is in phase one. MFB anticipates their participation will grow in subsequent phases through the end of 2020. MFB has had a heightened focus on food procurement since the beginning of the pandemic. Increased demand through grocery stores has limited our traditional donations. The food supply chain is disrupted. The timing of the USDA program is ideal.

This program dovetails with Midwest Food Bank's increased focus on distributing more nutritious food. It will be a great blessing to our partner agencies who have seen such a rise in need. To learn more about Midwest Food Bank, subscribe to our newsletter here.