Lehigh Valley food bank says federal cuts leaving food pantry shelves empty

Food Rescue Grows in Response to Federal Funding Cuts

Nestled inside a small warehouse room in Hunts Point Produce Market on a recent Tuesday, workers for the nonprofit organization Sharing Excess chucked flawed cucumbers into a large cardboard box.  As forklifts zig-zagged across the food rescue organization’s dock, the team members assessed the remaining stash of cucumbers, checking for signs of decay such as mold, mushy textures and rotten smells. They then sorted the viable cucumbers into mixed…

Lehigh Valley food bank says federal cuts leaving food pantry shelves empty

Concerned about funding cuts that could imperil aid to needy Lehigh Valley residents, Second Harvest Food Bank is trying to form new partnerships with nearby warehouses and food suppliers. Working with national nonprofit Feeding America, which helps match food banks with food through its bidding system, the agency last week secured truckloads of cereal, drinks and snacks, sausage and other goods — “all great food, but not those staples that are …