By Damian Phillips, The Exponent Telegram
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — During the special legislative session earlier this month, state lawmakers approved millions of dollars in funding for food assistance programs around West Virginia for a second year.
Lawmakers appropriated $10 million for the Posey Perry Emergency Food Fund for distribution to Mountaineer Food Bank and Facing Hunger Foodbank.
The food banks, in turn, will distribute the funds to their partner agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, community centers and school feeding programs, in addition to conducting food distribution events of their own.
An initial $10 million in state funding was made available to the food banks last October.
“It’s a really wonderful avenue for us to be able to support our pantries at an even higher level than we do on a regular basis,” said Facing Hunger Foodbank Chief Development Officer Samantha Edwards.
Food resource organizations in 12 southwestern counties are supplied by Facing Hunger Foodbank, while the rest of the state is supplied by Mountaineer Food Bank.
