ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Local officials announced that $250,000 will be awarded to two organizations to combat food insecurity. Officials cited data that suggests one in ten people in Albany County are considered food insecure and one in seven children are going to school hungry.

The funding will be split between the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and its community agency partners and the United Way of the Greater Capital Region. The funding is made available via a new initiative to combat food insecurity in the Albany County budget for the fiscal year 2024.

“No man, woman, or child should go hungry and we are taking the action needed to have an impact. Demand in Albany County for help has gone up 30% since last year and we need to invest in programs that will make a difference,” said County Executive McCoy. “Strong partnerships will help reduce the meal gap this year from 26% to 18% by providing 464,167 more meals. This is only the beginning.”

The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York has provided 3.7 million meals to residents in Albany County in 2023. The new funding will provide an additional 400,000 meals.