Pennsylvania’s charitable food network is a critical partner in fighting hunger in communities across the commonwealth, and it has seen an unprecedented rise in need amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying economic downturn. Food banks in Pennsylvania typically serve approximately 2.2 million people annually, but in the first three months of the public health crisis, these food banks had more than 5.5 million visits. The COVID-19 public health crisis has exacerbated food insecurity across nearly our entire commonwealth.

"Having enough to eat is essential to achieving quality of life and people who do not have enough to eat are less healthy and experience greater challenges across their lifespan. All of this was true before the pandemic, and it’s especially true now.”

- Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller