Feeding America Releases First Round of COVID-19 Fund Grants to Food Banks

On March 13, Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization with a network of 200 member food banks across the country, announced the establishment of their COVID-19 Response Fund to help food banks across the country as they support communities impacted by the pandemic. Feeding America initially seeded the fund with $2.65 million to enable food banks to secure the resources they need to serve the most vulnerable members of the community during this difficult time. 

The fund has since grown, and to meet the growing need, Feeding America announced they have released the first round of COVID-19 Fund grants to food banks—an initial allocation of $4 million. Distribution was based on their networkwide Pulse Survey which informs the data-driven deployment of this first phase of funds. Disbursements will be assessed on an ongoing basis as circumstances on the ground evolve.

As funds are received, Feeding America can continue plans for the second round of distributions. Because of donors and funders, food banks will be able to secure the resources they need to serve the most vulnerable members of the community during this difficult time. All donations raised from the fund will be used to get food and funds to network members.

Network Impact Analysis in Progress— Feeding America is finalizing an Impact Analysis to fully understand the unprecedented costs they believe their network will face over the next six months. Developed by the Feeding America research and data teams to estimate the costs resulting from increased need for services, decreases in donated food—which means higher costs to procure supplies—and the loss of volunteer labor, the Impact Analysis will inform their response to people’s immediate needs, as well as their long-term recovery plan.

Establishing a National Food Purchase Initiative—To overcome shortages in their national and local food supplies, Feeding America is building a comprehensive food purchase initiative that offers national pricing for food, delivers that food in an easily distributable format, and provides assistance in the distribution of that food to their food banks.

Click here to visit Feeding America’s Press Room for more information about their COVID-19 response efforts and click here to donate to their COVID-19 Response Fund.