The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has provided an additional $100 million to purchase food and $50 million to assist food banks with administrative costs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Emergency Food Assistance Program, the agency announced.
USDA did not specify what foods would be purchased with the additional funds.
ARRA funds have also increased the benefits in the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as Food Stamps. Most families of four received an additional $80 a month to purchase nutritious foods, according to a USDA news release.
ARRA was signed into law on Feb. 17, 2009. More information about USDA's Recovery Act efforts is available at www.usda.gov/recovery.