Worcester council heaping helping of praise for food insecurity efforts
WORCESTER — City councilors Tuesday praised the local ecosystem of organizations and city departments that focus on addressing food insecurity in the city, but urged administrators to continue to seek out new opportunities to keep people fed.
Councilors in December requested a report outlining efforts at getting food to residents who need it, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the report, the city has distributed more than $500,000 in block grant funding since the start of the pandemic to Centro, Friendly House, Rachel’s Table, the South Worcester Neighborhood Center, the United Way and Veterans Inc. City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. told the council Tuesday that since the report was created, the city has appropriated another $100,000 in federal CARES Act funds to food insecurity.