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Axios
10-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Food service closures threaten Boston's nutrition lifeline
Three major food suppliers have closed down this year and eliminated 50,000 pounds of annual donations to local food recovery programs. Why it matters: Food pantries and community centers that serve vulnerable populations are facing reduced variety and volume of fresh foods. Some families now need to visit multiple locations each week to get what they need. State of play: Historically high food prices, an uncertain economic outlook, and difficulties with funding have led several organizations that regularly donated surplus food to close down. Community nonprofit grocer Daily Table is the most notable, closing all four locations — in Salem, Dorchester, Roxbury and Cambridge — after losing federal funding. What they're saying: "We're seeing just as many people — up to a third of the population here in Massachusetts — facing food insecurity, but steadily less food and less money going into the overall food security ecosystem," Tim Cavaretta, director of operations at nonprofit distributor Food For Free, told Axios. Zoom in: The disruption is straining an already-stretched emergency food network in and around Boston. The closure of Daily Table last month took around 20,000 pounds of food out of Food for Free's system annually. Freight Farms, a local startup that converted shipping containers into hydroponic farms, also shut down in May, taking 10,000 pounds of fresh greens with it. Fresh produce delivery service Boston Organics distributed about 20,000 pounds of produce annually. It shut down in February. Outside Boston, Worcester programs were hit hard by the closure of the Shrewsbury Stop & Shop location that regularly donated to charity programs. The big picture: The closures come as federal nutrition support is contracting. USDA food distributions to Boston-area food banks dropped by over $3 million this year. $2.3 million of the canceled food was set to go to the Greater Boston Food Bank. That's around 105,000 cases of produce, protein and dairy. Meanwhile, anticipated cuts to SNAP benefits threaten to increase demand on outside programs like food banks.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Opinion - Federal food aid cuts will cause America's hunger crisis to skyrocket
The Daily Table, one of the largest food banks in Boston, recently announced it was closing its doors after serving more than 3 million people throughout the city over the past decade. The organization cited high food prices and an 'uncertain funding environment' as the main reasons. 'Without immediate funding to bridge us through 2025, we cannot continue,' read the group's farewell note to supporters. Pantries like the Daily Table across the country are struggling to stay open after the U.S. Department of Agriculture quietly cut $1 billion in 2025 funding back in March for food relief programs that have historically supported the nation's most disadvantaged communities. Specifically, the USDA abruptly slashed the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which supported food banks in addressing the growing hunger crisis in America. The agency also canceled the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, USDA-led initiatives that paid farmers and ranchers to produce the food that pantries and schools distributed to those in need. '[Funding] is no longer available and those agreements will be terminated following 60-day notification,' a USDA spokesperson bluntly told Politico when the cuts were discovered. Food banks depend on federal funding to help those in need. The USDA cuts have hit these organizations hard, stifling their ability to fulfill their missions in West Virginia, New York, California, Maryland, Washington, Oregon and beyond. Three District of Columbia-area food banks have delivered 1.4 million fewer meals since the USDA action, and these numbers are certain to grow. The need for food banks has never been greater. According to the USDA's own data, over 47 million people resided in food-insecure households in 2023. Demand in Nebraska is four times greater than it was in 2018, while some food pantries in Texas are serving 25 percent more people today than before the pandemic. And in what may be the most troubling statistic of all, nearly half of the residents in Kentucky and Indiana face an impossible choice of either paying for food or covering their utility bills. The USDA actions were a potential blow to farmers — a constituency the Trump administration has vowed to protect. They also defy the Trump administration's 'Farmers First' agenda. 'The defense of the family farm is a defense of everything America has been — and everything we will be,' wrote USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins in announcing the imperative. 'It is my privilege to come to their defense.' Canceling these programs is a slap in the face to every farmer who relies on federal support to help vulnerable Americans receive the food they need to survive. These economic initiatives drive local agriculture and are a vital source of revenue, especially for small farm operators. The USDA cuts deepen the impact for those who already lack access to healthy meals. Before the USDA rollbacks began, nearly 10 million children were at risk of going hungry this summer due to states opting out of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program. Eliminating federal support for food banks will make their untenable situation even worse. And if House Republicans move forward with a plan to decimate the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program in their proposed budget bill, the hunger crisis in America could become a full-blown emergency. SNAP currently helps 40 million low-income families afford groceries every month. The House bill, if approved, would gut the program by more than $260 billion over the next 10 years to help offset the Trump administration's tax cut proposals. The House GOP plan puts an added burden on states to make up the difference in SNAP support, many of which are financially strapped and won't be able to cover the funding gap. The USDA cuts come at a time when food prices are expected to rise 3.5 percent in 2025 alone due to recent tariff increases. They will have a 'significant and damaging impact' for millions who rely on these programs for food support, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and other U.S. senators have argued. Administration officials and members of Congress alike should heed the warnings from those on the front lines who run food banks and have seen firsthand the impacts the USDA cuts have had on their ability to address food insecurity in their communities. 'We've never before faced a situation like we are in now,' said Michael McKee, CEO of Virginia-based Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. '[The] need is well beyond any disaster or financial crisis that we've seen, and the government's response is to take food away.' 'This isn't about ideology,' he added. 'It's about math.' Let's have compassion for those with nothing to eat by restoring food programs that offer them nourishment and hope for a better future. Lyndon Haviland is a distinguished scholar at the CUNY School of Public Health and Health Policy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
01-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Federal food aid cuts will cause America's hunger crisis to skyrocket
The Daily Table, one of the largest food banks in Boston, recently announced it was closing its doors after serving more than 3 million people throughout the city over the past decade. The organization cited high food prices and an 'uncertain funding environment' as the main reasons. 'Without immediate funding to bridge us through 2025, we cannot continue,' read the group's farewell note to supporters. Pantries like the Daily Table across the country are struggling to stay open after the U.S. Department of Agriculture quietly cut $1 billion in 2025 funding back in March for food relief programs that have historically supported the nation's most disadvantaged communities. Specifically, the USDA abruptly slashed the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which supported food banks in addressing the growing hunger crisis in America. The agency also canceled the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, USDA-led initiatives that paid farmers and ranchers to produce the food that pantries and schools distributed to those in need. '[Funding] is no longer available and those agreements will be terminated following 60-day notification,' a USDA spokesperson bluntly told Politico when the cuts were discovered. Food banks depend on federal funding to help those in need. The USDA cuts have hit these organizations hard, stifling their ability to fulfill their missions in West Virginia, New York, California, Maryland, Washington, Oregon and beyond. Three District of Columbia-area food banks have delivered 1.4 million fewer meals since the USDA action, and these numbers are certain to grow. The need for food banks has never been greater. According to the USDA's own data, over 47 million people resided in food-insecure households in 2023. Demand in Nebraska is four times greater than it was in 2018, while some food pantries in Texas are serving 25 percent more people today than before the pandemic. And in what may be the most troubling statistic of all, nearly half of the residents in Kentucky and Indiana face an impossible choice of either paying for food or covering their utility bills. The USDA actions were a potential blow to farmers — a constituency the Trump administration has vowed to protect. They also defy the Trump administration's 'Farmers First' agenda. 'The defense of the family farm is a defense of everything America has been — and everything we will be,' wrote USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins in announcing the imperative. 'It is my privilege to come to their defense.' Canceling these programs is a slap in the face to every farmer who relies on federal support to help vulnerable Americans receive the food they need to survive. These economic initiatives drive local agriculture and are a vital source of revenue, especially for small farm operators. The USDA cuts deepen the impact for those who already lack access to healthy meals. Before the USDA rollbacks began, nearly 10 million children were at risk of going hungry this summer due to states opting out of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program. Eliminating federal support for food banks will make their untenable situation even worse. And if House Republicans move forward with a plan to decimate the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program in their proposed budget bill, the hunger crisis in America could become a full-blown emergency. SNAP currently helps 40 million low-income families afford groceries every month. The House bill, if approved, would gut the program by more than $260 billion over the next 10 years to help offset the Trump administration's tax cut proposals. The House GOP plan puts an added burden on states to make up the difference in SNAP support, many of which are financially strapped and won't be able to cover the funding gap. The USDA cuts come at a time when food prices are expected to rise 3.5 percent in 2025 alone due to recent tariff increases. They will have a 'significant and damaging impact' for millions who rely on these programs for food support, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and other U.S. senators have argued. Administration officials and members of Congress alike should heed the warnings from those on the front lines who run food banks and have seen firsthand the impacts the USDA cuts have had on their ability to address food insecurity in their communities. 'We've never before faced a situation like we are in now,' said Michael McKee, CEO of Virginia-based Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. '[The] need is well beyond any disaster or financial crisis that we've seen, and the government's response is to take food away.' 'This isn't about ideology,' he added. 'It's about math.' Let's have compassion for those with nothing to eat by restoring food programs that offer them nourishment and hope for a better future. Lyndon Haviland is a distinguished scholar at the CUNY School of Public Health and Health Policy.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Daily Table Suddenly Closing All Locations
A popular healthy grocery chain started by a former Trader Joe's president suddenly closed all of its locations all of its locations. Ten years ago, a former Trader Joe's president founded Daily Table to make nutritious food affordable, but just a decade later the chain is closing all four of its locations after closing a fifth in 2024. 'It was not a decision we wanted to make,' Sasha Purpura, Daily Table's CEO, said in a statement to 'But we had no choice. It was an economic decision.' The chain that served over three million customers and returned over $16 million in savings to the community, issued a letter to its customers. 'We are deeply grateful to every person, and organization, who has supported our mission since 2015 — donors, suppliers, customers, volunteers, and community partners,' the Daily Table Board of Directors' letter said. 'Your belief in the power of dignity, health, and access has enabled us to impact hundreds of thousands of lives.' The chain plans to sell off its inventory over the next few days at a discounted price until they cease operations. Purpura revealed the grocery chain's economic woes began during the COVID-19 pandemic after customers started avoiding brick-and-mortar stores. The nonprofit's goal to provide food without passing the cost to the customers became more challenging following the rising cost of food. According to Daily Table lost its USDA aid last fall through the Double Up Food Bucks program, which provided SNAP customers a 50% discount on fresh produce purchases and half off nonfat and 1% milk. 'We have been trying to get through this challenging time, but in the end, we do not have the money,' Purpura said. 'It has been heart-wrenching for all of us.'Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boston Just Lost Every Location Of This Beloved Grocery Chain
The impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic are still lingering in the U.S. for many individuals and small businesses alike. This combined with rising food costs means grocery stores — especially small, local stores — are struggling to stay afloat, with many across the country closing their doors. Unfortunately, this is the case for the beloved Boston grocery chain, Daily Table. The company recently announced in a letter to the community on May 9, 2025, that it is shutting down along with every single one of its locations. The chain officially closed all of its stores on Monday, May 12, according to its website. Daily Table was founded in 2012 by the former president of Trader Joe's, Doug Rauch, who aimed to create a store where people could buy healthy and nutritious food that was accessible regardless of income. The company largely succeeded in this mission, sharing on its website that the stores served over 10,000 customers each week in 2024. The reach and impact of this nonprofit grocery store is what makes it closing particularly sad, and it's a change that will certainly affect the communities Daily Table has been serving for years. The chain had four stores in total across Massachusetts located in Boston, Cambridge, Roxbury, and Salem. Read more: 13 Trader Joe's Prepared Foods, Ranked Daily Table was remarkable in its mission to supply local communities with nutritious and affordable food. Through donor funding and distributor and supplier partnerships, Daily Table was able to provide all kinds of fresh and healthy foods at ultra-low prices, all while being SNAP-eligible. And, despite growing its customer base in the 2024 fiscal year according to the Daily Table impact report, it still wasn't enough to combat the debilitating effects of the pandemic and historically high modern food costs. With 26% percent of Daily Table shoppers using SNAP/EBT benefits, it can be assumed that low-income households that relied on Daily Table have been hit hard by the local chain shutting down. When announcing the closing in a letter to the community penned by the board of directors, Daily Table urged donors and supporters to transfer that support to other organizations that provide food access and security. The board also expressed continued commitment to the mission that Daily Table represented, saying that they "... firmly believe that this model can be replicated elsewhere." With the prices of groceries rising and the middle and lower classes being hit hardest, we hope more nonprofit grocery stores like Daily Table can make space and get the support they need to thrive. Read the original article on Tasting Table.
