Food organizations respond to federal aid boxes including letter from President

Courtesy: Politico

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — President Trump’s use of tax dollars to promote himself through letters included in federal food aid boxes has ruffled some feathers.

While some food organizations removed the letters before handing out the food, some local ones chose not to.

The president’s letter reads, in part, “As part of our response to the coronavirus, I prioritized sending nutritious food from our farmers to families in need throughout America.”

It’s part of the USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box Program.

When Feeding Kentucky initially heard the letters would be inside, the organization wanted to make sure it wasn’t going to impact its non-partisan response to food insecurity.

“What we found in talking with our national office Feeding America as well as some attorneys that gave us some advice and counsel, basically it says the letter really just talked about the program itself and did not promote any kind of partisanship of anybody’s part,” says Kurt Reiber, chair of board for Feeding Kentucky.

Reiber says some boxes are going through their member food banks, but most went through other non-profits.

“When the letters are in there we don’t really have the capacity to go in, open the boxes – they’re sealed boxes, and take the letters out,” says Reiber.

At God’s Pantry Food Bank in Lexington, volunteers made sure boxes received last week immediately went out to meal programs.

“It is critical this refrigerated, perishable food moves quickly and safely into homes and onto dinner plates of those experiencing hunger,” says CEO Michael Halligan.

In previous years, these kinds of letters weren’t included in food boxes. The election year letters sparked criticism from some but Feeding Kentucky leaders don’t think they took any blame.

“People I think understand the fact that we don’t have control of these letters that have gone or to be going out,” says Reiber.

Instead of controversy they are focusing on getting the food to families as fast as possible.

Federal lawmakers have also expressed concern with the letters, some saying the letter violates the Hatch Act, which prohibits government officials from using their official authority to affect the result of an election.