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Northampton County staff propose CDBG grants to local food banks after USDA funding cuts
Summary
At an April 3 Economic Development Committee meeting, resident Lamont McClure highlighted federal USDA funding cuts and staff outlined a plan to use CDBG funds to award grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to local school districts, food banks and shelters.
Lamont McClure, a resident, told the Northampton County Economic Development Committee on April 3 that federal cuts to U.S. Department of Agriculture programs have left local farmers and food banks at risk and prompted a local relief plan. "The reason I'm here today is one of the most pernicious cuts," McClure said, citing a March USDA announcement that it was cutting more than $1,000,000,000 from programs that paid farmers to provide food to schools and food banks.
County staff proposed using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to distribute targeted grants to school-district programs, food banks and shelters serving high-poverty areas. The staff plan presented specific recommended awards to community partners to help offset the reduced federal assistance.
Under the proposal, the committee was told the following recommended awards: Slater Family Network Food Pantry (Bangor Area School District) $10,000; Families First (Pen Argyll School District) $10,000; Wilson Area Links Center $10,000; Nazareth Food Bank $10,000; Slate Belt Food Hub (Mission of Love Ministry, serving 12 pantries) $20,000; Western Food Hub/Northampton Borough Food Center $25,000; Bethlehem Emergency Shelter $5,000; Safe Harbor Homeless Shelter $5,000; Shiloh Winter Shelter $5,000. Staff described the awards as targeted to sites with "high rates of childhood poverty" or "experienced heavy usage." The transcript records those dollar amounts and the stated reasons as presented by the staff speaker.
Director Smith and committee members discussed the limits of local authority to offset national funding changes. A committee member asked when staff might have more detailed data on farms affected by the USDA cuts; the committee chair said detailed, database-style information was not yet available but could be provided when it becomes available. Commissioner Keegan, identified during public comment as participating in a local links program, said the planned grants would be welcomed by organizations that may have to reduce services.
The staff presentation framed the CDBG awards as a local, short-term response to federal funding reductions rather than a substitute for federal programs. No formal vote or ordinance was recorded in the transcript; the presentation was described as a staff plan and informational update.
The committee asked staff to provide more data on local farm impacts when available and to continue coordination with the named nonprofit partners. The transcript indicates staff will follow up with details later but does not record a formal motion or binding committee action.
