Grant Responds to Growing Need of Nation’s Food Banks Underscored by Troubling Results of Recent Survey

December 19, 2008 – Feeding America (formerly named America’s Second Harvest), the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, announced today that the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has donated $1 million to help provide food and groceries to the dramatically increasing number of hungry people in the U.S.

Feeding America released a report yesterday that documented a stunning surge in the number of Americans seeking emergency food assistance for the first time in the past year. Demand at Feeding America’s food banks increased an average of 30 percent in a single year, with many food banks reporting even higher increases. Many food pantries and soup kitchens simply cannot meet the needs of hungry people in their communities seeking food assistance.

A large portion of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s grant will be distributed to food banks that provide food and groceries to hundreds of food pantries, soup kitchens, Kids Cafes, senior meal programs and other emergency feeding programs throughout the nation.

Feeding America president and CEO Vicki Escarra said, “A new survey of low-income Americans shows that our hunger crisis has grown dramatically. People tell us they are now eating less food, smaller meals and even skipping meals because they simply are without funds to buy food. Bank of America has recognized the tremendous strain many Americans face as a result of the economic downturn. We are extraordinarily grateful for this generous donation from Bank of America.”

“Bank of America remains focused on providing relevant, meaningful support to help individuals and families navigate difficult times,” said Andrew D. Plepler, Global Community Impact Executive and President of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. “Ensuring vulnerable populations have access to basic services is a critical component to revitalizing our nation’s economy. Our partnership with Feeding America will help support their efforts to provide food and groceries to the 36 million Americans who are having enormous difficulty making ends meet.”

Bank of America is a longstanding supporter of food banks across the country, having donated more than $900,000 and provided nearly 4,000 employee volunteer hours this year alone in addition to this $1 million grant. Bank of America plans to expand its employee volunteer efforts supporting this cause and will announce specific plans to that end in early 2009.

About Feeding America
(Formerly America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network) Feeding America provides individuals and families facing hunger with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks operate 63,000 agencies that address hunger through emergency food assistance and programs. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit www.feedingamerica.org.

About Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy
Building on a long-standing tradition of investing in the communities it serves, Bank of America will embark in 2009 on a new, ten-year goal to donate $2 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving the health and vitality of their neighborhoods. Bank of America approaches giving through a national strategy called “neighborhood excellence” under which it works with local leaders to identify and meet the most pressing needs of individual communities. Through Team Bank of America, bank associate volunteers contributed more than 650,000 hours in 2007 to enhance the quality of life in their communities nationwide. For more information about Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy, please visit www.bankofamerica.com/foundation.
Reporters contact:
Ross Fraser, Feeding America
rfraser@feedingamerica.rog
312.641.6422

Ernesto Anguilla, Bank of America
ernesto.anguilla@bankofamerica.com
617.434.7308

Tags: bank of america charity, recession charity