THOMPSON SECURES $375K FOR YOLO FOOD BANK MOBILE PANTRY
Woodland, CA – Today, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) announced he has secured into law $375,000 in federal funding for Yolo Food Bank’s mobile pantry truck project. The funding will go toward purchasing a truck for Yolo Food Bank to start a mobile pantry program serving Yolo County’s residents.
“Almost one-third of Yolo County residents face food insecurity and not everybody has the means to travel to our local food bank. Investing in a mobile food pantry just makes sense. That’s why I’m proud to have secured $375,000 in federal funds to purchase a truck and kickstart Yolo Food Bank’s mobile pantry program to bring fresh, locally sourced food to our community members. Thank you to the team at Yolo Food Bank for identifying the need for these funds and partnering with me to make this happen,” said Rep. Thompson.
“This generous gift of a mobile Food Truck will help Yolo Food Bank efficiently distribute fresh, locally-sources free free food to our community members at a time when they need it most. Our thanks goes to Congressman Thompson who always prioritizes our hard-working, rural communities and their needs—what a passionate champion!” said Karen Baker, Executive Director of the Yolo Food Bank.
The funding secured by Rep. Thompson will go towards purchasing a truck to start a mobile pantry program that will serve Yolo County’s rural residents, providing a unique and convenient method for the community to access fresh produce. According to the Yolo Food Bank’s 2023 Yolo County Food Access Survey, almost one-third of Yolo County residents experience food insecurity. Nearly 20 percent of those who need food assistance do not access food relief resources. One of the reasons for this gap is the lack of access to transportation. By purchasing a food truck, Yolo Food Bank will be able to bring fresh, locally sourced food to our community. The mobile pantry will operate year-round and focus on seasonal produce purchased from local farmers. Yolo Food Bank will also hire an Ag Procurement Manager who will leverage relationships with local farmers and food hubs to help purchase fresh, local produce that Yolo Food Bank can provide on the Mobile Pantry Truck.
About Community Project Funding (CPF)
Rep. Thompson requested funding for this project through Congress’ Community Project Funding (CPF) process. Each year, Members of Congress may direct federal funding to a select number of Community Projects through the appropriations process. Under this process, each House member is permitted to submit 15 project requests to the Appropriations Committee on behalf of their Congressional District so long as the projects meet criteria set forth by the Committee. There are no guarantees that Community Projects will all be funded, and the projects are competitively evaluated by the Committee on Appropriations.
Project selection and submissions is the first stage of the process for Community Project Funding. The projects are subject to a strict transparency and accountability process before they may be selected for inclusion in the relevant appropriations legislation for the upcoming year.
Find more information on Rep. Thompson’s CPFs here.