EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The El Paso food bank said it is being forced to scale back operations due to funding uncertainty caused by the Trump administration.
On Monday, the CEO of El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Susan Goodell said in a press conference they will reduce their schedule to four days, operating Tuesday through Friday, as well as the amount of food they distribute.
Despite not naming a specific agency or move by the White House that is affecting their funds, Goodell said that plans to scale back were spurred by the overall environment of uncertainty news coming out of the presidency.
Goodell said the federal funds, that account for 36 percent of their operating budget, are there, but then the next day they receive word that funding is being threatened. “It’s a… rollercoaster, right now,” Goodell said.
The schedule will change starting March 31.
Goodell also said that they sent out notifications on Monday morning letting their school partners know how they will be affected by the reduction in operations.
“We are heartbroken,” Goodell said, saying that while their resources dwindle the need for food in the Borderland remains the same.
According to statistics from El Pasoans Fighting Hunger, they feed one in five people in the area, which means that between 180 and 190 thousand people depend on the food bank.
In the end, Goodell directed a message to the Trump administration, asking them to view the consequences of their recent actions and reconsider their position, adding that funding was “relatively stable” until President Donald Trump took office.
Below is the full press conference:
RELATED:USDA funding cuts threaten school meal programs in El Paso
EPFH encourages people to donate or volunteer to help mitigate the negative effect of these cuts.
More information on volunteering can be found on their website.
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