CLEVELAND — One food bank in northeastern Ohio had a chance Monday to show off its work to federal leadership.

Deputy Agriculture Secretary Xochitl Torres Small toured the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank with Rep. Emilia Sykes. 

“The Biden-Harris Administration is working really hard to make sure that people do get that support that they deserve,” Small said.

According to Feeding America, more than 44 million people in the United States, including 13 million children, experience food insecurity every year.

Congresswoman Emilia Sykes said she has prioritized helping people who experience food insecurity for years.

“We need to be thinking about nutrition, and food security and beyond just making sure someone has food in that moment,” Sykes said. “It is the ability to know they don’t have to be afraid about where their next meal is coming from.”

Last year, the Foodbank said it distributed nearly 35 million pounds of food.

The need for food in communities has increased since the beginning of the pandemic, Sykes said, making it more important now than ever to lend a helping hand.

“Last week I introduced a bill, ‘The Healthy Food Access for all Americans,’ which creates a tax credit to encourage food providers to establish grocery stores, food banks and farmers’ markets in traditionally underserved communities. No matter their zip code, people should have access to food,” Sykes said.

Small said one way to help provide that access is connecting local farmers to the people who need help the most, and the food bank said it’s ready to help however it can.

“We’re here to serve people when they need it and so we’re grateful to be able to do that important work for our community,” said Katie Carver, Vice President of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.