TEN YORK COUNTY NON-PROFITS AWARDED A TOTAL OF $652,570 IN GRANTS FROM THE PA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TO FIGHT HUNGER AND PREVENT FOOD WASTE

The York County Solid Waste Authority worked with 10 York County non-profit organizations to submit grants to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for funding to assist with fighting hunger and reducing food waste. The PADEP’s Food Recovery Infrastructure grants were awarded for the first time ever in late May. 

The grants will allow food banks, shelters, and soup kitchens to cover the costs of equipment purchases necessary to prepare, transport and store food acquired from retailers, wholesalers, farms, processors, and cooperatives. Examples of eligible equipment that will be funded include refrigerated or non-refrigerated box trucks, industrial-sized refrigerators, pallet jacks and/or dollies. Installation and shipping costs were also eligible for support.

In PA, county Recycling Coordinators were asked to facilitate the submission of grant applications because the grant is considered a sustainability/food waste effort. Mindy Waltemyer, the Authority’s Recycling Coordinator, said: “County Recycling Coordinators provided outreach to the municipalities and food distribution charities, coordinated pre-application meetings, attended pre-application meetings with the DEP and helped with applications as needed”. 

The Authority congratulates the following York County grant recipients: Community Reach Inc.: $31,283, Hearts for Hunger: $7,975, LifePath Christian Ministries: $102,895, Northeast Neighborhood Association: $4,500 York County Food Bank: $200,000, York Benevolent Association: $97,660, Abundant Life Outreach Inc. Dba Life Center: $5,719 York Suburban Education Foundation: $12,337, St. Jacob’s Lutheran Church: $6,796, New Hope Ministries Inc.$183,405.

The Authority facilitates responsible solid waste management through an integrated strategy that emphasizes waste reduction, education, recycling and resource recovery. The Authority is the owner of the York County Resource Recovery Center in Manchester Township; and owns and operates a Small Load Drop-off Facility, a Recyclable Materials Drop-off Center and an Education Center.