Health and Wellness Foundation of Pike County awards $7000 grant to Access Food Project
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The Health and Wellness Foundation of Pike County (HWFPC) has announced a grant award in the amount of $7,000 to the Access Food Project as part of their FY23 Healthy Community Grant competitive grant program which annually selects projects that most effectively demonstrate the ability to impact Pike County’s most pressing physical, emotional, and social health needs. The grant funds will be used to process over 300 deer this year and provides a no-cost outlet for deer harvested in Pike County through an easy donation process for the deer hunter
Foundation Executive Director Patricia McIntosh stated of the award, “The Access Food Project is a much needed and very helpful program for Pike County residents. Through the Access Food Program, over eight tons of venison can be processed by project partners and then distributed to food pantries across the county. Its benefits are multifaceted – families in need of food assistance can access protein at the local food pantries to feed themselves and their children. As well, it is the most effective program for hunters to directly impact those in need by donation of this valuable wildlife resource.”
This program directly serves the 11 percent of Pike County residents who are determined as “food insecure” – 9 percent higher than the national average – and who on the supply of venison from this program to supplement their family’s diet. Food insecurity refers to the USDA’s measure of lack of access at times to enough food for an active, healthy life for all members of the household, and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods such as protein
Brenda Middendorf Coordinator for the Access Food program said of the grant award: “Two Rivers RC&D through its Access Food -Feed the Hungry program appreciates the consistent
response it has received over the years from the Health and Wellness Foundation of Pike County to support our program. The program relies on many grants and individual contributions to cover the processing expense of the donated deer. With the significant increase over the last couple of years in the number of deer donated, it has been a challenge to make sure we can cover the expenses. It is reassuring to us that there have been times when we must reach out to the Health and Wellness Foundation for a second grant to make sure that families in need could continue to benefit from these donations with no interruption due to lack of funding. The Health and Wellness Foundation is truly a blessing to our program and to our community.”
The USDA estimated that in 2019 89.5% of U.S. households were food secure, which translated to 116.0 million people. Further strain was put on households already experiencing food hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding America estimated that 1 in 8 Americans, experienced food insecurity in 2021. Food insecurity also makes it harder for children to thrive in and out of school, increases the risk of health problems for children and adults, and contributes to short and long-term stress for children and families.
