As school breaks begin, the summer months ahead bring heightened food insecurity for children and families that depend on school cafeteria meals most of the year. To support community members who must choose between food and other life necessities, local food banks need more donations to respond to increased demand during the summer season. Anticipating this challenge, the GSF Foundation (GSFF) initiated its “Focus on Food” month to help alleviate hunger in the communities where GSF associates work and live.
During the month of May, 14 local GSFF committees made more than $133,000 in Focus on Food grants to eligible 501(c)(3) food banks through an expedited process with matching national GSF Foundation donations up to $5,000 per local food bank grant. This year’s grant donations will provide the equivalent of 600,410 meals for food-insecure children and families throughout the United States.
“Over the past four years since we introduced Focus on Food, our local GSFF committees have funded more than two million meals through food bank grant donations totaling over $475,000,” said Vanessa Hugon, Programs and Development Manager, GSF Foundation. “In addition to grant-making, our teams have engaged in volunteer activities, such as distributing food to those in need, organizing food drives, and harvesting food to be donated.”
Associates across GSF’s food manufacturing and distribution businesses have a deep connection to fighting hunger. Since 2002, associates have donated millions of meals to vulnerable community members and volunteered their time shelving donations in food pantries, gleaning produce from fields, and distributing groceries to neighbors in need. This year’s participating GSFF Committees include: GSF Burleson, GSF City of Industry Manufacturing, GSF Irvine, GSF Opelika, KanPak New York, QCD Albuquerque, QCD Charlotte, QCD Denver, QCD Fontana, QCD Los Angeles, QCD Orlando, QCD San Antonio, QCD Suffolk, and QCD Waipahu.
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