"You can see the whole top shelf is empty," said Chester County Food Bank Director of Community Relations Nick Imbesi as he walked into the food bank's warehouse.
"We were devastated when we heard from the USDA last week that they were canceling our food order beginning today," said Imbesi.
Looking to cut spending, the Trump administration has frozen or canceled a billion dollars in food aid. Food banks say the cost-saving measures are impacting life-sustaining work.
"This is going to have a profound impact," said Imbesi. "There was no explanation given to us by the USDA."
The federal cuts mean the cancellation of deliveries that food banks across the country were scheduled to get from the USDA: things like milk, cheese and a $30,000 egg order that the Chester County Food Bank received Tuesday after the nonprofit paid for the order using its own funds.
Action News reached out to the USDA but did not receive a response as of press time.
Chester County Food Bank says it has lost an estimated $250,000 in food deliveries from the USDA. Philadbundance lost more than $525,000 worth of food.
The Food Bank of Delaware tells Action News it has lost 19 truckloads of food that they say was valued at anywhere from $1.1 million to $1.15 million.
Last month, the Trump administration also ended a pandemic-era program that gives food banks money to buy produce from local farmers.
Philabundance says it was one of the largest cuts they've ever seen: losing $1.5 million in federal funds. Chester County Food Bank lost $145,000 in funds for the program.
"Our state lawmakers in Chester County has been helping us get extra funding across the finish line," said Imbesi.
Pennsylvania's congressional lawmakers have been trying to help, too, as the food bank vows to continue its work in the face of federal funding cuts.
"We're going to continue to be here for our neighbors," said Imbesi, who notes that the food bank is also looking to the community for help.
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