YUBA CITY — A federal funding pause has indefinitely left $130 million on hold for emergency food and shelter programs across the United States.
A combined $115,000 between Yuba and Sutter counties is on a freeze, creating problems for roughly 15 organizations that focus on food and shelter, like the Yuba-Sutter Food Bank.
"Food banks across the board are struggling financially as a result of the federal pause," said Maria Ball, the food bank's executive director.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) emergency food and shelter program has put a hold on federal funds across the nation.
The Yuba-Sutter-Colusa United Way organization usually distributes the funds locally, but they received an email in late January saying the funds weren't coming yet, and it's unclear when they will.
"That money for our smaller nonprofits here locally, is a big chunk of their budget," said Rick Millhollin, chair of the Yuba-Sutter-Colusa United Way board.
The money was already allocated to local organizations last year and many already budgeted for it.
The email cites the emergency food and shelter program is being reviewed within FEMA to ensure it complies with recent executive orders and U.S. Department of Homeland Security guidelines.
"We're just kind of hoping that the current administration just gets through this so we can get our funding back because there's not a lot of fraud, waste and abuse when people are trying to put food on people's tables," Ball said.
Millhollin said that after 18 years in the field, he's never seen the program's funding on hold.
"It has more of a domino effect than most people realize," he said, "and the hardest thing to do is to stop a project and restart it if it's put on hold for a certain amount of time."
Ball, showing us the empty shelves in the food bank, said, "When funding is where it needs to be, these shelves right here are full of pallets of food. As you can see, it's looking a little mean and lean out there."
The Yuba-Sutter Food Bank is struggling to keep up with demand to distribute food to its 35,000 visitors per month and its 50 partner agencies.
"Our role is the food mover. We're here to receive those donations and get that funding so we can purchase the food and get it out to the people," Ball said.
We reached out to United Way Worldwide, FEMA, and the emergency food and shelter program for comment but didn't hear back.
Other organizations impacted by the funding freeze include the Salvation Army and Hands of Hope. It's unclear when the pause will be lifted.
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