photo by: Austin Hornbostel/Journal-World

Just Food's home at 1000 E. 11th St. is pictured Friday, March 24, 2023.

Douglas County food pantry Just Food announced it will receive 30% less food from one of its partners in the coming months after a federal program was canceled — meaning a loss of 2,400 pounds each month.

In a news release Thursday, the food pantry said Harvesters, its regional Feeding America distributor, was notified that orders through The Emergency Food Assistance Program — a federal nutrition program designed to help low-income households supplement their food sources through food banks and pantries — that were scheduled for distribution between April and August have been cancelled.

That means about 40,000 cases of meat, dairy, eggs and dried fruit that Just Food would have received will no longer reach its shelves. The pantry estimates more than 5,500 individuals in Douglas County rely on TEFAP food through Just Food.

Jessica Cooney, the director of impact at Just Food, said the TEFAP food is received at no cost, so losing 30% of those shipments “will have a significant impact.”

“With grocery prices remaining high and ongoing uncertainty, many in our community are already facing difficult choices,” Cooney said. “Reductions like this add to the growing strain on families relying on food assistance and the organizations working to support them.”

This reduction of food from a federal program comes at a time when other federal resources for food banks have been slashed. In March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, which gave food banks federal money to buy food from local farmers.

Aundrea Walker, the executive director for Just Food, said at the time that cuts to that program would be “detrimental for families in need across Douglas County” as well as have a negative economic impact to local farmers, as the Journal-World reported.

Just Food’s release noted that as federal cuts to food assistance continue along with uncertain economic conditions, access to food “is becoming increasingly difficult for many households” and community support can help ensure better access.

The pantry advised people interested in providing support to donate funds or nonperishable food items to the pantry or contact their elected officials to advocate for strong federal nutrition programs.