Chairman Goodlatte Leads Congressional Delegation on Visit to New Orleans Food Bank to Assess Response to Hurricane Katrina
Food bank in need of more than $1 million in repairs and equipment
CHICAGO --- October 17, 2005 --- Representative Bob Goodlatte, chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, led a Congressional delegation yesterday to get a first hand look at the Gulf Coast areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina, including the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, a member of America's Second Harvest—The Nation’s Food Bank Network. USDA estimates a total of $882 million in losses to crops, livestock and aquaculture due to the hurricane, and The Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana is in need of more than $1 million for repairs and additional equipment to meet increase in demands.
“We commend the House Agriculture Committee for considering the needs of our food banks the critical role we play in providing emergency food assistance to tens of thousands of Hurricane Katrina victims,” said Robert Forney, President and CEO of America's Second Harvest. “We look forward to working with Congress in the coming months on securing funding to ensure we can continue meeting the increased demands.”
The Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana resumed operations last week in its primary warehouse in New Orleans after more than a month of solely conducting business out of a temporary warehouse in Baker, Louisiana. The New Orleans facility sustained water damage resulting in power outages, freezer and refrigeration destruction, and minor structure damage. The food bank has been distributing more than three times its average volume of food since Hurricane Katrina hit and the requests for food assistance continue to rise as evacuees return home.
The America's Second Harvest Network has distributed more than 44 million pounds of food to Hurricane Katrina victims in the impacted areas, accounting for approximately 33 million meals and valued at $66 million.
“Hunger was a reality for more than 36 million Americans before Hurricane Katrina hit and today tens of thousands more people are in search of a meal,” said Forney. “Our Network has been serving the needs of our neighbors for 25 years and we will continue to do so for as long as we are needed.”
The delegation spent the day touring Louisiana.
America's Second Harvest -- The Nation's Food Bank Network is the nation's largest charitable hunger-relief organization with a Network of more than 200 regional member food banks and food - rescue programs serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The America's Second Harvest Network secures and distributes nearly two billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually. The America's Second Harvest Network supports approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies operating more than 94,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs, and Kids Cafes. Last year, the America's Second Harvest Network provided food assistance to more than 23 million low-income hungry people in the United States, including more than nine million children and nearly three million seniors. For more on America's Second Harvest, please visit www.secondharvest.org.
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