BRYAN, TX — On May 11, the Bryan city council approved $229,000 in federal pandemic grant money towards a new summertime food program.
Titled 'Going the Extra Mile (Project GotEM), the program will be administered by the Brazos Valley Food Bank (BVFB) and operate until Sept 30, 2022, or until funds run out.
Said funds are being allocated to address a gap in food for persons and families home-bound due to the pandemic, with targeted populations including but not limited to persons with disabilities, elderly, and food insecure and income-qualified individuals.
According to their agreement, $176,538 of the $229,388 budget will go directly towards purchasing food products.
Clients will be screened for appropriate eligibility by partnering agencies that will make referrals to Project GotEM by compiling documentation, including:
- Place of residence
- Income
- Family household status
- Proof of income or affidavit of no income
- and certification of no duplication of benefits
These agencies currently include Bridge Ministries, Brazos Church Pantry, and 12th Can, who have all reportedly indicated strained local food resources due to the pandemic.
Eligible clients will be provided a Project GotEM package, which includes 30 pounds of food (the equivalent of approximately 25 meals) for each week of enrollment in the program.
Food menus will be a rotating variety of shelf-stable food that can be used to prepare meals.
Food will also be distributed on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly rotation, depending on the need and availability of food.
The Brazos Valley Food Bank is estimating Project GotEM will serve 220 unduplicated clients for the contract period.
The program reportedly reduces barriers and provides additional needed food to supplement limited home delivery programs such as Meals on Wheels, which provides one hot meal a day (Monday through Friday), or Save our Streets Ministries (SOS), which delivers a hot meal to households served by after school programs.
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