United Way announces special fund in response to 'economic uncertainty and policy shifts'

The United Way of Central Massachusetts has announced the launch of a $500,000 United Response Fund to address "urgent community needs caused by mounting economic uncertainty and policy shifts."

Tim Garvin, president and CEO of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, said the organization has a long history of "stepping in and stepping up when there's a crisis." Right now, Garvin says, the crisis is food insecurity.

Garvin said the United Way has in recent months taken a look at the effects of potential reductions in federal funding to SNAP, noting that one in every six people in Massachusetts experience food insecurity. Garvin also said that over 80% of those people are considered members of a vulnerable class, which would include those under18, over 60 and people with a disability.

"If you're a child it is impossible to sit in a classroom and focus on the knowledge that's being passed down to you if you're hungry," Garvin said.

Garvin said numerous factors would be used to determine the organizations that will receive grants from the fund.

In the past two years, Garvin said, the United Way has worked with the City of Worcester and 19 partner agencies to find ways to fight food insecurity and will continue to do so to find the best solutions.

Some of the ways Garvin says the organization plans to tackle the problem include food reclamation, which is finding and getting food that hasn't expired and would otherwise go to waste into food pantries; teaching people to farm and harvest food locally; and helping people enroll in SNAP and other food assistance programs.

"Tens of thousands of people have already been served because of that effort," Garvin said.

Garvin shared he is grateful for the "nonpartisan elected leadership that ensures free and reduced lunch for every student in the commonwealth," and that the United Way is working hard to identify the most vulnerable populations, such as those in more rural areas who have less access to food pantries.

"We know $500,000 isn't enough. Philanthropy will likely not be able to fill the gap from reductions in other programs, but we hope this is big enough to inspire others," Garvin said. "Every time we've done something like this in the past, others have stepped up."

By: Afton Pratt, Worcester Telegram & Gazette