SECTION 1. (a) There shall be established and set upon the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the COVID-19 Local Food Access Emergency Fund to be administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.

(b) The purpose of the Fund shall be for financial assistance in the form of grants to any food pantry within the commonwealth which has been affected by the COVID-19 virus. Such financial assistance shall include, but not be limited to, grants for: (i) staffing; (ii) procurement; (iii) sourcing; (iv) purchases of food or other items for distribution; (v) unexpected expenses; and (vi) vehicles and or fuel to assist in procurement of auxiliary items.

(c) There shall be credited to the Fund all amounts that are, by law, transferred or authorized to be transferred thereto or directed to be deposited therein, and all amounts received as gifts, grants, or contributions for the purposes of the Fund. Amounts credited to the Fund shall not be subject to further appropriation and any money remaining in the Fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund.

(d) For the purposes of this section the term “food pantry”, shall mean a food distribution center that is either registered as a 501 (c ) (3) entity or is a program of a 501 (c) (3) entity in partnership with a local Food Bank.

SECTION 2. On the effective date of this act, the comptroller shall transfer no less than $6,000,000 from the General Fund to the COVID-19 Local Food Access Emergency Fund established in section 1 for the purposes of carrying out this act.