Council approves Pittsburgh city budget changes, including cuts to food justice program

“The Food Justice Fund was created during former Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration in 2023. It used $3 million in federal COVID dollars to give grants to organizations that work to combat food deserts and increase access to healthy food in poorer communities. When the COVID money ran out, the city invested some of its own money.

The changes approved Monday cut the $500,000 the city allocated this year for the program in half. Another $250,000 was slashed from other grant programs also administered by the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation…

At a public hearing ahead of the votes earlier this month, advocates from local food advocacy organizations spoke against the cuts. Just Harvest organizer Dan McCarthy said the fund is more needed than ever, as federal funding for such programs has become less reliable under the Trump administration.”

Publish Date: 4-21-2026

News Outlet: WESA

Author: Julia Maruca