Food Banks Respond to trump Letter in Food Boxes

Letter in food boxes christy"food banks throughout kentucky along with some other non-profits will be delivering boxes of food to families from the usda with a letter inside from the president that some are calling controversial."

The president's letter reads, in part, "as part of our response to the coronavirus, i prioritized sending nutritious food from our farmers to families in need throughout america.".

It's part of the usda's farmers to familes food box program.

When feeding kentucky initially heard the letters would be inside..., the organization wanted to make sure it wasn't going to impact its non- partisan response to food insecurity.

Feeding ky-kurt reiber"what we found in talking with our national office of feeding america as well as some attorneys that gave us some advice and counsel, basically says the letter really just talked about the program itself, did not promote any kind of partisanship of anybody's part."

Kurt reiber, chair of board for feeding kentucky, says some boxes are going through their member food banks... but most went through other non- profits.

"when the letters are in there we don't really have the capacity to go in, open the boxes, they're sealed boxes, and take the letters out."

At god's pantry food bank in lexington, volunteers made sure boxes received last week immediately went out to meal programs. c-e-o michael halligan says "it is crticial this refridgerated, perishable food moves quickly and safely into homes and onto dinner plates of those experiencing hunger."

In previous years, these kinds of letters weren't included in food boxes.

The election year letters sparked criticism from some.

But feeding kentucky leaders don't think they took any blame.

"people i think understand the fact that we don't have control of these letters that have gone or to be going out."

Instead of controversy, they are focusing on getting the food to families as fast as possible.

Christy bollinger, abc 36 news.

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