Murphy Announces Major Grant Award For Treasure Coast Food Bank

Press Release

Today, Congressman Patrick E. Murphy (FL-18) announced a $100,000 federal award for the Treasure Coast Food Bank (TCFB). This grant is administered by the USDA as part of their Local Food Promotion Program to support community food projects, which will allow them to better serve the Treasure Coast community through the establishment of the Florida Agriculture & Nourishment Collaborative, a new food production facility and partnership based in Fort Pierce.

"The Treasure Coast Food Bank is a pillar of our community, providing meals and other services to families in need. For the 100,000 area residents -- including 35,000 children -- that struggle with food insecurity, they don't just offer a helping hand, but serve as a lifeline," Rep. Murphy said. "I have been proud to support the great work of the Treasure Coast Food Bank and I know that with this grant, they will further their mission of service in the fight against hunger. I want to congratulate them on this well-deserved award and thank them for their continued service to our community."

"Treasure Coast Food Bank is delighted that the USDA will be making such a significant investment in a project that was specifically purposed to positively impact the health of hundreds of thousands of children, families, and seniors each year," said Judith Cruz, CEO of Treasure Coast Food Bank. "The Florida Agriculture & Nourishment Collaborative (FANC), as the facility is to be known, will be a catalyst to achieving our goal of infusing millions of pounds of locally-grown produce into the region and of equal importance, establishing new market channels for Florida's farmers and growers."

This grant award will allow the Treasure Coast Food Bank to launch the Florida Agriculture & Nourishment Collaborative (FANC) -- a brand new, fully-equipped food production facility in Fort Pierce, and engage key partners. These stakeholders include 100 Florida farmers, 100 local schools, and more than 250 human service agencies who will provide nutritious food to 100,000 low-income people on Florida's Treasure Coast and in Okeechobee County each week. Purchasing products from 100 local Florida farmers, the facility will equip Treasure Coast Food Bank with the capacity to share 25 million pounds of fresh, nutritious produce each year through the USDA Farm to School program and partnering human service agencies. For more information on the Treasure Coast Food Bank, please visit: http://stophunger.org.

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