Boyle Spotlights $1 Million Federal Investment in Caring for Friends, Slams SNAP Cuts in Trump’s Big Ugly Law
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) joined Caring for Friends today in Northeast Philadelphia to spotlight $1 million in federal funding he secured for the organization and to highlight the devastating food assistance cuts enacted under Republicans’ Big Ugly Law.
"Caring for Friends has always been a lifeline for our community, and that work is even more essential now," said Boyle. "At a time when families are struggling with rising grocery prices, Republicans chose to slash food assistance just to hand billionaires another round of tax breaks. I’m proud to support organizations like Caring for Friends that step up when Washington Republicans let working families down."
Vincent Schiavone, CEO of Caring for Friends, thanked Congressman Boyle for his leadership and support, noting that the new facility will dramatically expand the organization’s ability to serve vulnerable communities.
"At Caring for Friends, our mission is simple — to ensure that no one is hungry or alone,” said Schiavone. “Every week, over 10,000 volunteers and 200 pantry partners come together to serve more than 300,000 neighbors across Greater Philadelphia. Thanks to the generosity of donors, including local farms, manufacturers and distributors, we receive over eight million pounds of food each year. And yet, due to limited cold storage, we’re forced to turn away fresh and frozen food that could nourish families in need.
That’s why a new cold storage facility, championed by Congressman Boyle, is a true game changer,” continued Schiavone. “It will allow us to accept an additional tractor trailer of food every day, helping us take a giant step forward in providing food and friendship to more Philadelphians in need.”
The funding secured by Boyle through the Community Project Funding process is supporting construction of a new cold storage facility that will allow Caring for Friends to rescue and distribute up to 200,000 pounds of food each week — more than 10 million pounds annually — to families, seniors, veterans, and others in need across the region.
Nearly 200,000 residents in Pennsylvania’s Second Congressional District rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help put food on the table. The cuts enacted under the Big Ugly Law are expected to reduce or eliminate food aid for at least 143,000 Pennsylvanians. As the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, Congressman Boyle led the fight against this law in Washington and continues to push back against its most harmful impacts.
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