Generator not in Food Bank budget
Regarding The Post reader’s concern about the hungry in our community and the lack of backup power at the Palm Beach County Food Bank facility following Hurricane Irma:
Following Hurricane Irma, Palm Beach County Food Bank staff distributed food to our partner agencies beginning three days post-storm, despite damage resulting in no power, water, phone or Wi-Fi service at our facility.
We explored the option of backup generator power earlier this year and found initial cost estimates from $250,000 to $400,000. Unfortunately, that was not a financial commitment our organization was able to make. Even prior to this storm, we submitted an initial proposal to a funder to begin raising this significant amount of money for a resource that, while very important, is used only sporadically.
The Food Bank board takes its commitment to hunger relief in the county very seriously. Part of that includes judicious decision-making regarding allocation of limited resources. for by Medicaid. If Graham-Cassidy were beginning in 2020, Florida would start receiving billions less in federal health care appropriations for the elderly nursing homes.
Do we really think our current state leadership would ever do an adequate job for writing the regulations for nursing homes with quality care as the objective with a shrinking base of federal money?
Not a solution for Florida. Save us from Scottcare.