Food banks across US remove Trump letter from meal boxes, calling it ‘outrageous’
Category: News & Politics
Via: tessylo • 4 years ago • 26 commentsBy: Don Sweeney, The Miami Herald
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Food banks across US remove Trump letter from meal boxes, calling it ‘outrageous’
Food banks across the United States are intercepting and removing a signed letter from President Donald Trump included in federal food aid.
In the letters, in English and Spanish on a White House letterhead, Trump gives himself credit for providing the enclosed food, Politico reported.
The letter also encourages people to wash their hands and promises “our Nation will emerge from this crisis stronger than ever before,” according to the publication.
They are included in U.S. Department of Agriculture coronavirus food aid to be distributed to hungry families from local food banks. But charities from Boston to San Francisco are pulling the letters out before delivering the food, despite USDA orders to the contrary.
Joel Berg, chief executive of Hunger Free America, a nationwide anti-hunger nonprofit organization, called the letters “absolutely outrageous,” The Washington Post reported.
“It essentially blackmails nonpartisan food charities into aiding Trump’s reelection campaign by threatening more Americans to go hungry if these food boxes are not distributed,” Berg said, according to the publication. “This move by the Trump Administration is illegal and immoral.”
In Hayward, California, city officials apologized after some food boxes were inadvertently distributed before the letter from Trump was discovered, KGO reported.
“It’s wholly inappropriate and a potential violation of law for public officials to use public resources for political purposes and to attempt to influence the outcome of an election,” said Chuck Finnie, city public information officer, according to the publication.
The Greater Boston Food Bank also is removing Trump’s letter from boxes it distributes to its partners, The Washington Post reported.
“We do not endorse any presidential candidate and have no connection to the letter and the inclusion of the letter in these boxes.” said Catherine Drennan, director of communications and public affairs at the food bank, according to the publication.
“In my 30 years of doing this work, I’ve never seen something this egregious,” said Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, executive director of the Ohio Association of Food Banks, Politico reports.
The San Diego Unified School District is removing the letters because they contain “misleading” information about the need for face masks, KNSD reported.
“Science is clear: wearing a mask works to prevent the spread of the coronavirus,” said Superintendent Cindy Marten, according to the station. “Masks are required in California and on every San Diego Unified school campus. It is not optional, as the President wrote in his letter.”
Some food banks, however, are choosing not to remove the letters.
Dennis McManus, government affairs director for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, said the nonprofit agency opted to take no action on the letters to protect its tax-exempt status, WESA reported.
At the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida, organizers feared unpacking boxes to remove the letters would take too long , WINK reported.
“The last thing we want to do is have a bunch of food expire simply because we’re trying to remove a letter from the president,” said Barbara Evans, according to the station.
Food banks are already coping with a 60% rise in need since the coronavirus pandemic began, said Kate Leone, chief government relations officer at Feeding America, The Washington Post reported. Leone said anything that distracts from that mission makes it harder.
“This is supposed to be about helping hungry people,” said Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, who chairs a panel overseeing nutrition on the House Agriculture Committee, Politico reported. “It is one of the worst things I’ve seen in a long time.”
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Food banks across the United States are intercepting and removing a signed letter from President Donald Trump included in federal food aid.
In the letters, in English and Spanish on a White House letterhead, Trump gives himself credit for providing the enclosed food, Politico reported.
The letter also encourages people to wash their hands and promises “our Nation will emerge from this crisis stronger than ever before,” according to the publication.
They are included in U.S. Department of Agriculture coronavirus food aid to be distributed to hungry families from local food banks. But charities from Boston to San Francisco are pulling the letters out before delivering the food, despite USDA orders to the contrary.
Joel Berg, chief executive of Hunger Free America, a nationwide anti-hunger nonprofit organization, called the letters “absolutely outrageous,” The Washington Post reported.
“It essentially blackmails nonpartisan food charities into aiding Trump’s reelection campaign by threatening more Americans to go hungry if these food boxes are not distributed,” Berg said, according to the publication. “This move by the Trump Administration is illegal and immoral.”
In Hayward, California, city officials apologized after some food boxes were inadvertently distributed before the letter from Trump was discovered, KGO reported.
“It’s wholly inappropriate and a potential violation of law for public officials to use public resources for political purposes and to attempt to influence the outcome of an election,” said Chuck Finnie, city public information officer, according to the publication.
everything that falls out of the "Mr. let them eat cake" mouth is pure bullshit.
I think most people who get those food boxes are going to see that letter and just toss it in the trash. They know he's a liar and a POS. I wouldn't worry about them too much. Besides, I think it was a wasted effort on the WH's part and I laugh at the resources spent so he can feel the love.
Actually, no I'm not laughing at the waste of resources
It's just unreal that this POS has to insert himself in everything and take credit for it.
Yeah, he's been doing it for nearly 4 years and there's no end in sight to his self-aggrandizement. That is until he's kick out of the White House on January 20, 2021 (hopefully).
To quote the Beast himself: It is what it is
If you ever wanted to make Trump eat his words, this would be it.
"Food banks are already coping with a 60% rise in need since the coronavirus pandemic began, said Kate Leone, chief government relations officer at Feeding America, The Washington Post reported. Leone said anything that distracts from that mission makes it harder."
Thanks to the 'president'
I would also think that since these food pantries are non-partisan, and non-profits, his little stunt might be seen as something else that can be added to his indictment
The new mandate has sent food banks and other nonprofits scrambling as they worry distributing the boxes with the letters could be misconstrued as election activity, according to interviews with nearly a dozen nonprofit and industry leaders.
He is a worthless POS
I am unclear. Who is paying for these food baskets?
The USDA’s $4 billion Farmers to Families Food Box Program has distributed more than 100 million boxes to those in need since May, with the aim of redirecting meat, dairy and produce that might normally go to restaurants and other food-service businesses. But organizations handing out the aid complain the program is now being used to bolster Trump’s image a month before a high-stakes election — and some even have refused to distribute them.
“Politics has played zero role in the Farmers to Families food box program,” the Agriculture Department said in an emailed statement. “It is purely about helping farmers and distributors get food to Americans in need during this unprecedented time.”
The administration slowly started including letters from the president in USDA’s food boxes over the past few months. But last week the USDA began requiring the letters to be added to all boxes distributed by companies with government contracts, according to six people familiar with the program.
The USDA responded by saying the letters don’t violate the Hatch Act and moved ahead anyway. This week, the White House posted a campaign-style video on Twitter touting the food boxes with remarks Trump made in North Carolina in August before a crowd of a few hundred people.
“It's almost like an escalation,” Rep. Marcia Fudge, an Ohio Democrat who led the letter to Perdue, said in an interview. “Before they were optional. Now they are demanding that they go in every box."
"This is supposed to be about helping hungry people,” said Fudge, who chairs a panel overseeing nutrition on the House Agriculture Committee, “It is one of the worst things I've seen in a long time.”
The new mandate has sent food banks and other nonprofits scrambling as they worry distributing the boxes with the letters could be misconstrued as election activity, according to interviews with nearly a dozen nonprofit and industry leaders.
No, she suggested daddy dearest put his name on it to boost him.
So what? Has nothing to do with her charitable contribution to the program. You do know what it means to spearhead a project right?
So you admit that the 'president' has nothing to do with it.
Thanks!
Has the 'presidents' sister wife contributed to it? Of course not.
She is just fluffing daddy dearest to boost his massive bloated ego.
I believe we are.
I heard he also cut all his pubes off and dropped them in select boxes, like willy wonka. All ten of them.
he heard his mushroom dick would grow if he trimmed the undergrowth