An Indianapolis urban farm’s operators says they can no longer supply free produce to local food pantries after the U.S. Department of Agriculture made sweeping cuts to a pandemic-era food bank program.
“It’s a crisis now and it’s going to get worse,” Kitty Beckman, executive director of Helpings of Hope, said.
Beckman says 135,000 people in Indianapolis do not know where their next meal will come from. To combat rising food insecurity, Helpings of Hope was created. The nonprofit is known for its sprawling community garden. Two years ago, they founded a volunteer-run urban farm focused on growing hard-to-find international produce for the diverse surrounding community.
“We are trying to make sure they have what they used to have in their home country,” farm manager Nate Dungi said.
For two years, the farm has been included in a program created during the pandemic called the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement. LFPA allows local food pantries to buy locally grown and fresh produce from the farm and then offer it to those in need for free.
According to federal data, Indiana received nearly $13 million through the program. LFPA and programs like it allow Helpings of Hope to provide for the community.
Beckman said, “This funding cut, which is really vital for people, but this funding cut is just going to exacerbate the situation.”
With seeds already in soil, Beckman says, she reached out to Indiana leaders for help and is waiting for clarity on how to move forward. “There may be some funds leftover that maybe can be used for this year, we’re hoping, but we’re also being prepared for the worst.”
Though there’s a possibility some funding could be leftover, that’s only helpful this year. USDA tells I-Team 8 that the LFPA program was not meant to be permanent.
“As a pandemic-era program, LFPA will now be sunsetted at the end of the performance period, marking a return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives. This isn’t an abrupt shift—just last week, USDA released over half a billion in previously obligated funds for LFPA and LFS to fulfill existing commitments and support ongoing local food purchases.
“With 16 robust nutrition programs in place, USDA remains focused on its core mission: strengthening food security, supporting agricultural markets, and ensuring access to nutritious food. Unlike the Biden Administration, which funneled billions in CCC funds into short-term programs with no plan for longevity, USDA is prioritizing stable, proven solutions that deliver lasting impact. The COVID era is over—USDA’s approach to nutrition programs will reflect that reality moving forward.”
— Spokesperson for U.S. Department of Agriculture
This article is written by WFYI reporter Kyla Russell.
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