• Miles McLean

It was a busy day for food banks here in Nevada. At around 5 P.M. tonight the NV Interim Funding Committee approved 30$ million dollars from the State Contingency Fund to be allocated to into the Food Insecurity Plan. 

This will create vital funding for food banks in Nevada as we are nearing November 1st. Due to the government shutdown millions of Americans benefiting from SNAP could not see funding. 

The approval of these funds will be crucial to provide support throughout November, and while it is a short-term solution, many food banks are continuing to prepare to see increased numbers throughout the month. 

Food Bank of Northern Nevada held a volunteer event tonight, "Baggin' for Apples", where they brought the community together for a night of helping those in need. 

People of all ages were dressed up in costumes and their favorite Halloween attire to bag apples and potatoes. The Food Banks Marketing Director Jocelyn Lantrip says, 

"It's really about getting kids out to teach them about volunteering in their community"... "Children of ages ten and over can volunteer at the food bank anytime with their parents, but we really found that parents want to teach young children about giving back to their community and volunteering."

Volunteer Coordinator Ron Artis adds how important it is to set an example for kids, 

"I think that it's vitally important that they learn at a very young age, how important it is to give back to the community which you live in. It's just means the world to everybody." 

The Food Bank is thankful for support from the state as well and when asked about the Funding Committee's approval of funds, Lantrip added, 

"The state is committed to food insecurity and fighting that, and that they are looking at this contingency funding, and they have made a commitment to help us on a certain level."