Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today congratulated Community Food Bank, Inc., for receiving more than $350,000 in state and federal grants to increase food service to underserved residents of Southern Arizona.

The grants include $160,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development agency and $190,040 from the Arizona Department of Economic Security. The money will be used to purchase a semi truck and attached trailer to haul and distribute fresh food to rural sites in the Amado area south of Tucson.

The food bank currently uses 17 refrigerated trucks to distribute food to 22 sites throughout Santa Cruz, Cochise, Graham and Greenlee counties. Because of increased demand, the bank applied for funds to buy an additional distribution truck that would take food largely taken from donors in Nogales, Arizona.

The additional trucking capacity will increase the food bank’s ability to accept new donors and meet distribution demands.

“This is important for the health and well-being of Southern Arizona, and I congratulate the food bank for winning these awards,” Grijalva said. “Providing affordable, healthy food to underserved populations is a wonderful public service, and I support them wholeheartedly.”

For more information, contact Tony Bruno of Community Food Bank at (520) 622-0525.