Food bank in Desert Hot Springs reassures community amid concern over potential funding cuts
Some food banks in the Coachella Valley, like Food Now in Desert Hot Springs, are starting to worry about cuts to federal agencies that help supply them with food for distribution.
Officials at the food bank say some clients cite recent cuts to federal programs, like USAID, and are worried further cuts could affect the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA.
Tom Tragesser, the Director of Operations at Food Now, says some of its clients have been speculating about cuts after seeing those recent changes. "We've heard stories from a number of our clients that they're concerned about what may be cut and if there's going to be some challenges with the programs that we supply to them, to USDA, we've assured them right now there are no cuts."
According to Food Now, the USDA delivers food products to FIND Food Bank, which then makes its way to partner food banks like Food Now each week.
Tragesser explains that USDA cuts have not yet been announced. For now, he wants to reassure the community: "Right now we want our clients and the community be assured, come on in. We are still distributing on Wednesday and Thursday fully to the community."
He also reaffirms that the food bank will continue serving those in need, regardless of their immigration or housing status. "We do not turn anyone away. If you're food insecure in the Desert Hot Springs area, come on in," he says.
The food bank says it does not ask for immigration status from its clients, nor does it disclose that information to any other agency.
Longtime volunteers, like Gabriel Fulton, say, "People are just still needing to get food. It shouldn't matter - your immigration status. It shouldn't matter who you are. If you're hungry, there's places like this. [They] need to be here to feed people."
Food Now will be hosting a fundraiser at the Palm Springs Air Museum on March 28th. Funds from this event will be directed towards operational costs, like residency costs and utility bills, which will let the food bank continue operating out of its Desert Hot Springs location. More details on that event are available on the Food Now DHS website.
