Rep. Morgan McGarvey visits Dare to Care ahead of 2023 Farm Bill
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Congressman Morgan McGarvey took a tour of Dare to Care Wednesday, with the Farm Bill being up for renewal soon. The Farm Bill is reauthorized every five years and is up in December.
"Everything from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to school lunches to feeding those with housing insecurities and food insecurities will be up in Congress this year," McGarvey said. "Coming here to Dare to Care is a great opportunity to understand how we are feeding people in our community."
The Farm Bill is aimed at increasing accessible and affordable foods. It also authorizes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps eligible families afford nutritious food by providing monthly funds.
President and CEO of Dare to Care, Vincent James, said, "This whole operation is looking at and not only feeding people with excellence and dignity but how do we begin to put programs and initiatives in a pathway to end that cycle of need."
More than 13 counties across Kentucky and Indiana benefit from the Dare to Care food bank in Louisville.
Last week alone, 31,000 school-aged children were served nutritious meals provided by Dare to Care, James said.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, James said they are seeing a "30-40 percent increase in demand" for their services. Now, he said it is especially critical to provide accessible options.
McGarvey also said it's not about "having a canned food that nobody else wanted." Dare to Care steers away from that concept.
As the Farm Bill gets reauthorized, McGarvey plans for more programs like Dare to Care to be available in communities across the country.
"It's making sure that we're not just feeding people's stomachs," McGarvey said. "We're feeding people's souls. We're doing it with dignity. We're doing it with nutrition, making sure that people are getting the actual food they need to survive and to thrive."
By: Celeste Noraian
Source: WLKY