Burns: $57,500 in grants awarded to local food pantries

Emergency funding to help with equipment, other costs

EBENSBURG, May 21 – Two local food pantries were awarded emergency grant funding to help with equipment and other costs, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, announced today.

“While I work in Harrisburg to get Pennsylvania on track to reopen in a safe manner, I also recognize the very real needs of far too many of our families today,” Burns said. “I’m working every day to make sure federal recovery dollars like these come to our community, which needs them just as much as the big cities.”

The two grants awarded in Cambria County, both in Burns’ district, included a $17,651 grant to the Portage Area Food Pantry to purchase a refrigerated truck that will ensure food donations do not spoil in transit. Additionally, a $39,887 grant was awarded to the Dorothy Day Food Pantry at Saint Francis University, which Burns has worked closely with in the past and helps support with an annual food drive.

Burns said he notified local food pantries about the availability of the Food Recovery Infrastructure Grant program and encouraged them to apply. Burns’ in-house grant writer was instrumental in helping the Portage Area Food Pantry successfully apply for the funding. 

“Grants like these are critical to our food pantries’ efforts so they can continue serving our communities during times like this when help is needed most,” Burns said.

In addition to the food pantry grants, Burns has urged local school districts to apply for federal emergency funding and distance learning grants, and has championed a bill that would provide emergency funding for local volunteer fire companies.