The 44th annual KDKA-TV Turkey Fund is underway, and every Wednesday from now until Thanksgiving, we're going to share stories with you about why your donations to the Turkey Fund are so important.

This week, we're focusing on the impact of federal funding cuts to food banks and why your donations are needed now more than ever.

At a time when the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is helping more people than ever, it's also doing it with a huge hole in its budget.

"We have less money to be able to afford food at a time when we're seeing really increased numbers of folks who need food assistance," said Colleen Young. She's the Director of Government Affairs at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Earlier this year, the federal government cut funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to food banks nationwide.

"So, the federal government, the largest way that they support Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and food banks all across the country is actually in the form of food, physical food. But there was also a program through USDA where they were providing food banks with cash for local purchasing from local farms throughout our service area, farmers, and producers in the state of Pennsylvania," said Charla Irwin-Buncher, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank's chief external affairs officer.

The cuts to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank equaled about $5 million.

"The federal commodities and the federal funding that we receive makes up about 18% of the total of what we distribute, and we did lose a significant amount of that funding," Young said.

"So that was a major blow to us as an organization," Irwin-Buncher added.

On top of the funding cuts, the food bank is also bracing for the need to go even higher when changes to the eligibility for SNAP benefits kick in.

"Pennsylvania is estimating about 144,000 people will lose their SNAP benefits in this next year. And so, we want to be prepared for those folks to be able to come to us or any of our other partner food banks to be able to access the food that they need to keep their families fed," Young said. 

Starting this fall, most SNAP recipients will need to meet work requirements to keep their benefits.

"Basically, if you're between the ages of 18 and 64, and you're receiving SNAP, there's a strong likelihood that you're going to have to submit some kind of paperwork in order to protect your SNAP benefits," Young added.

There are exemptions, but you still must fill out the necessary paperwork.

"So, we have our call center team that is dedicated to helping people fill out that paperwork. We're also planning to have the forms that people must fill out on hand here at the food bank. And we're working with our partner organizations to make sure that they understand how to help folks coming directly to them as well," Young said.

So how can you help the food bank continue to meet the ever-increasing need?

"Well we've done targeted fundraising and outreach to the community. And that's really our best hope at this point," Young said. 

"So, this is really an invitation for our community to join us and continue to join us, maybe even more in a significant way," Irwin-Buncher added.

Whether that be by advocating for increases in federal programs to help the food bank get additional food by volunteering or by making food or monetary donations, including to the KDKA-TV Turkey Fund.

"I would just ask people to think about people that they know in their lives that may be struggling to afford all the things they have to do to keep their families safe and healthy. And to know that there are two million people in Pennsylvania who need that kind of assistance, and that number is growing," said Young.

Because if we all give a little, we all help a lot.

And here's how you can donate to the KDKA-TV Turkey Fund. Go to any PNC Bank and they'll match all donations of $50 or more. You can also text "KDTURKEY" to 50155. Or donate at kdka.com/turkeyfund. And we're also still accepting checks. Mail them to "PO Box Thanks, Pittsburgh, PA 15230."

From all of us at KDKA-TV, thank you!