$70M In Food Aid Preserved For Wisconsinites: Evers

MADISON, WI—Gov. Tony Evers announced Tuesday his administration has reached a deal with the United States Department of Agriculture and Food and Nutrition Service to ensure the state will continue receiving more than $70 million in food assistance benefits for more than 400,000 Wisconsin households, according to a news release.

“More than $70 million a month means we can get support to a lot of folks across our state who are still struggling in the midst of a pandemic and need help putting food on the table,” said Gov. Evers in a statement. “I’m proud we were able to work with our federal partners to come to an agreement that will ensure we can keep providing these critical resources to Wisconsinites across our state.”

Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, the USDA may provide additional emergency food assistance allotments to requesting states for which an emergency or disaster declaration has been issued due to an outbreak of COVID-19. In Wisconsin, these emergency allotment benefits, which are entirely federally funded, now total more than $70 million per month.

In March, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin struck down Gov. Evers’ public health emergency and effectively barred the governor from declaring a new public health emergency relating to the coronavirus pandemic, leaving Wisconsin under no emergency or disaster declaration and rendering the state ineligible to receive these additional funds under the federal requirements.

The USDA/FNS agreed to accept an Evers Administration declaration that will preserve these critical benefits.

Under Gov. Evers’ previous public health emergencies, Wisconsin received $57.5 million in increased benefits for 255,000 households each month. Since March 2020, these benefits have brought well over $500 million into the state, supporting nutrition for Wisconsin’s hardest hit families.

Without this agreement, the effects would have been immediate and devastating for individuals, families, and entire communities, especially as the UDSA recently announced even more funding for this emergency food program, increasing the loss that Wisconsin families are experiencing in terms of healthy food, the release said.

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2021, about 42 million Americans may not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.