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Today, Under Secretary Kevin Concannon marked the one year anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, better known as the stimulus or recovery package. USDA received an additional $100 million to provide food to local food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens through The Emergency Food Assistance Program and an additional $50 million to ensure timely administration and distribution. The ARRA funding also provided an additional $100 million in grants to local school systems in an effort to enhance the nutritional quality of school meals.

Today, USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon marked the one year anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AARA) of 2009, also known as the stimulus or recovery package, by announcing that ARRA invested more than $8 billion in local economies to feed the hungry through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly the Food Stamp Program with approximately $830 million more invested each month.  In addition, through the Emergency Food Assistance program, states received an additional $150 million to support local food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens.

At a special presentation, the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History acquired Food Stamp Program coupons and other related materials from FNS, the cornerstone of U.S. food assistance programs designed to ensure that low income citizens can obtain a nutritious diet. In October 2008, Congress renamed the Food Stamp Program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to emphasize the program's focus on nutrition.

Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the availability of $25 million in grants to help schools operating a National School Lunch Program replace outdated equipment with new, energy efficient, appliances such as refrigerators, ovens, and other food service related equipment.