WORCESTER, Mass. - Worcester City Manager Eric Batista said the city, for the most part, has allocated all of its American Rescue Plan Act money and the plan now is to get these projects started as quickly as possible. 

The city announced this week it would be re-allocating $2 million to support local food pantries. The United Way of Central Mass will be in charge of handing out the funds.  

Batista said the city's food insecurity task force has been asking for relief, now that the extra SNAP benefits have ended.

"The impact to these families was something the providers were experiencing and hearing," he said. "They wanted the city to come in and figure out a way to support them and support our families, so we looked through our budget and we found an opportunity where we can move and shift $2 million where we can directly impact families and individuals of this community."

The money was originally slated for the water and sewer budget, but based on upcoming projects, Batista felt they had room to move it around.