The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to award $3 million dollars in federal coronavirus aid to help meet pandemic-related food insecurity among residents.
“In Orange County, there are more than 400,000 food-insecure people, including children, seniors living on fixed incomes, veterans, people with disabilities and those without homes,” according to Second Harvest Food Bank, a hunger relief organization in the county.
“Many more are impacted by COVID-related unemployment or underemployment, which forces them to make hard choices between buying food and paying the rent or buying medicine they need.”
Supervisors said the $3 million will be split evenly between two organizations, Second Harvest Food Bank and the Orange County Food Bank. This is the third allotment of pandemic-related federal funds that the board has awarded to both, according to The O.C. Register.
At least 10.7 percent of the Orange County population is projected to experience food insecurity at some point in 2021, according to data from the county’s Healthier Together organization.
“Many in Orange County are still reeling, economically,” Claudia Keller, chief mission officer of Second Chance said in an interview with the newspaper.
“With this funding, they can continue to count on the food banks and the pantry network to aid them in nourishing their families and getting back on their feet.”
Supervisors also voted Wednesday to approve $2 million toward the purchase food and water storage equipment which will be used to create a food distribution system during a disaster or emergency.
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