Bill Text: DE SCR9 | 2021-2022 | 151st General Assembly | Draft

Delaware Senate Concurrent Resolution 9 (Prior Session Legislation)

Draft

Bill Title: Celebrating The 40th Anniversary Of The Food Bank Of Delaware.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Enrolled - Dead) 2021-04-01 - Passed By House. Votes: 41 YES [SCR9 Detail]

Download: Delaware-2021-SCR9-Draft.html

SPONSOR:

Sen. Bonini on behalf of all Senators & Rep. Osienski on behalf of all Representatives

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

151st GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 9

CELEBRATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOOD BANK OF DELAWARE.

WHEREAS, on March 26, 1981 a committee incorporated the Food Conservers, Inc. and it operated out of a modest basement of the Northeast State Social Service Center in Wilmington, serving 50 member agencies; and

WHEREAS, in 1991 the name of the organization was changed to the Food Bank of Delaware; and

WHEREAS, the Food Bank of Delaware is the largest hunger relief organization in the State of Delaware; and

WHEREAS, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the issue of hunger and food insecurity to the forefront; and

WHEREAS, the Food Bank of Delaware has been on the front line of ensuring that thousands of Delawareans have access to the food resources they so vitally need; and

WHEREAS, according to Feeding America, prior to COVID-19 over 121,850 Delawareans experienced food insecurity; and

WHEREAS, currently there are over 164,000 Delawareans experiencing food insecurity due to the repercussions of the pandemic; and

WHEREAS, in the last fiscal year, the Food Bank of Delaware:

1. Distributed approximately 15.522 million pounds of food through its network of 674 Hunger Relief Program Partners;

2. Served 49,180 households through its mobile pantry program;

3. Distributed 143,000 backpacks stocked with food to at-risk youth through its Backpack Program;

4. Provided 27,779 supplemental food boxes through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and Palmer Home Foundation;

5. Had 17,166 volunteer visits for a total of 49,000 donated hours, which is equivalent of 24 full-time staff members; and

WHEREAS, from March 16, 2020 through March 16, 2021, the Food Bank of Delaware has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by:

1. Facilitating 33 mass drives through distribution events throughout the State of Delaware serving 42,847 households;

2. Serving 34,706 households through the Healthy Pantry Centers at their Newark and Milford locations;

3. Distributing 153,431 Farmers to Families Food Boxes;

4. Providing 353,009 meals and snacks to homeless Delawareans housed throughout the State to slow the spread of the coronavirus; and

WHEREAS, the Food Bank of Delaware currently employs 54-full time and part-time employees as its Newark and Milford facilities; and

WHEREAS, the Food Bank of Delaware has played a significant role in improving the access to and the efficiency of the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the Food Stamp Program) in Delaware; and

WHEREAS, the Food Bank of Delaware has successfully graduated over 700 Culinary School students through since the program began in 2002; and

WHEREAS, the Food Bank of Delaware will continue to provide nutritious foods to Delawareans in need and facilitate long-term solutions to the problems of hunger and poverty through community education and advocacy; and

WHEREAS, the Food Bank of Delaware continues to leverage additional resources through strategic partnerships, including the Coalition to End Hunger, which includes representatives from the public and private sector committed to advocating for hunger relief issues throughout the State of Delaware; and

WHEREAS, the Food Bank of Delaware look to establish a lived experience council called H.E.L.P. - Honoring Experience, Launching Possibilities, which engages clients to become advocates for themselves and those who have experienced hunger and food insecurity first hand.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 151 ^st General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the Food Bank of Delaware is hereby honored on its 40 ^th anniversary and commended for its continued dedication to the health and nourishment of the citizens of Delaware, as well as its endeavors to further expand resources available throughout the State.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Senate Concurrent Resolution be presented to representatives of the Food Bank of Delaware upon its enactment by the General Assembly.

SYNOPSIS

This resolution commends the Food Bank of Delaware on its 40th anniversary and for its contributions toward ending hunger and resolving the root causes of poverty in the State of Delaware through its increased statewide impact.

Author: Senator Bonini