Officials at the Greater Washington County Food Bank are defending their decision to cut the number of local food pantries in operation, but said the loss of $280,000 from the county commissioners will be another hurdle to overcome during the pandemic.
âDuring a year where Greater Washington County Food Bank has reached unprecedented levels of food distribution around the communities of Washington County, the food bank now has another set of obstacles to overcome,â according to a statement from the food bank. âIn its 35-year history, Greater Washington County Food Bank has faced its fair share of times where food insecurity has risen, but nothing quite like COVID-19.â
Two of three Washington County Commissioners voted in favor Thursday of sending allocations of state and federal money to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank rather than to the local one in Washington County.
The vote by Commission Chairman Diana Irey Vaughan and Commissioner Nick Sherman will send a little more than $280,000 from the federal Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Pennsylvania State Food Purchase Program to the Pittsburgh organization.
The two commissioners cited an outcry from constituents, especially in the Mon Valley, over the closure of local food pantries and lack of transportation to get to consolidated locations.