Bank of America donates $75,000; hosts Thanksgiving mobile pantry

November 17, 2015

On Friday we joined forces with the team from Bank of America and Westside Family Healthcare to hold a Thanksgiving mobile pantry outside Westside’s facility on E. 16th Street in Wilmington!

The day started with remarks from our President and CEO Patricia Beebe, Chip Rossi, Delaware Market President for Bank of America, U.S. Senator Chris Coons, Representative Stephanie Bolden and Councilman Darius Brown!

As part of the day’s festivities, Rossi presented our President and CEO with a check for $75,000. This donation will be used to fund our Bank of America Community Nutrition and Education truck.

The $75,000 was part of a $577,500 grant awarded by the Bank of America Foundation to 22 Delaware nonprofits serving basic human services such as food, shelter and access to benefits.

The event was also held in support of the Give A Meal program, an annual hunger-relief initiative by Bank of America and Feeding America that has provided over 100 million meals to families in need over the last four years.  For every $1 donated to the Feeding America network of food banks through Give A Meal from now through the end of the year, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation will donate $2 more. To learn more about the program, please click here.

At the conclusion of the presentation, Bank of America employees distributed 200 holiday meal boxes filled with all of the trimmings, a frozen turkey and bananas to families in need! Food for the pantry was collected and packed by Bank of America employees in the weeks leading up to the event and $5,454 was donated by employees to purchase turkeys.

“If people can’t put food on the table, they can’t begin to think about their overall financial security and future,” said Rossi. “Our philanthropic investments are one way that we’re working to connect individuals in our community to the resources they need to lead financially stable lives.”

Access to healthy food has become a growing problem in the state. In fact, more than 100,000 Delaware residents may not know where their next meal is coming from.

“Many individuals and families still struggle to access basic necessities and face difficult financial decisions, such as choosing between putting food on the table and paying for utilities,” said Beebe. “The grant helps us reach individuals at their immediate point of need; it supports our Bank of America Community Nutrition Vehicle, as well as retail store donations, fresh produce access, mobile pantry events, community and education events and our backpack program.”

In addition to the holiday distribution, students from The Culinary School at the Food Bank of Delaware also showcased their newly-developed skills. Using the Community Nutrition and Education vehicle’s grill, they showed families participating in the pantry how to use their Thanksgiving leftovers by preparing a mashed potato and turkey pancake topped with a cranberry mayonnaise.

Thank you, Bank of America, for your support!

 

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