Title
CONTINUED ITEM (12/2/25)
UNFINISHED BUSINESS (11/4/25)
Fiscal Year (FY)26 Emergency Funding for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and the Sahuarita Food Bank & Community Resource Center
Discussion/Direction/Action: Directing the County Administration to send Emergency Funding in the amount of $600,000.00 to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, and $200,000.00 to the Sahuarita Food Bank & Community Resource Center, to ensure that they have the food resources they need to meet the increased demand they already are experiencing due to the federal government shutdown, the passage of the “One Big Ugly Bill” Act which strips SNAP eligibility from tens of thousands of Pima County residents, including tens of thousands of children, and other Trump administration policies that have wreaked havoc on the economy, affecting working class and poor families the most. This funding, limited for now to FY 2025/26, shall come from the approximate $8.38M in extra, unencumbered and unrestricted Beginning General Fund Balance with which the County began FY 2025/26, per the most recent Financial Update provided to the Board. (Projected Beginning General Fund Balance of $126,746,493.00 as of July 1, 2025, rather than the budgeted amount which was $118,366,104.00.) Smaller Resource Centers and Food Pantries are welcome to apply for funding through the upcoming Outside Agency RFP process in November.
Additionally, directing the Administrator to support the Food Banks’ outreach and communications efforts to the broader community about the importance of making a charitable gift this season to ensure that nobody in our community goes hungry. (District 2)