By Blake Jackson
A network of food banks and charities is urging Congress to preserve funding for a vital USDA program that supplies monthly food packages to low-income seniors across the United States. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), which currently helps about 38,000 elderly individuals in Pennsylvania alone, is at risk of being eliminated due to proposed federal budget cuts.
Pennsylvania is the fourth-largest recipient of CSFP support, following California, Texas, and Michigan. Hunger-Free Pennsylvania, a nonprofit representing 18 food banks across all 67 counties in the state, has expressed concern over the impact of the cuts on seniors who rely on nutritious food packages.
The proposed $425 million federal budget reduction would replace the CSFP with a new initiative—Make America Healthy Again Food Boxes—aimed at sourcing items directly from farmers. However, critics argue that the CSFP already offers proven benefits. The program provides essential nutrients such as protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C to people aged 60 and above with annual incomes below $23,500.
Hunger-Free Pennsylvania highlighted that the CSFP has recently surpassed 250,000 successful food deliveries through DoorDash’s Project DASH, which connects local food banks with delivery drivers to reach homebound seniors.
For many recipients, these deliveries are not only a source of food but also the only human interaction they experience. This underscores the program’s role in supporting both nutrition and mental well-being.
Additionally, Pennsylvania officials are challenging the cancellation of another USDA-funded program—the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program—which supported over 190 farms and 13 food banks. State leaders argue that ending this initiative breaks a federal contract and harms both farmers and food-insecure families.
Food aid advocates continue to urge lawmakers to protect these programs, stressing that preserving senior nutrition is a moral and economic priority.
Photo Credit: usda
Categories: Pennsylvania, Government & Policy