Second Harvest of the Big Bend Increases Food Distribution Across 11 Counties in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic
Portion of funds received from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation were used to purchase a new refrigerated delivery vehicle
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In response to heightened need during the coronavirus pandemic, Second Harvest of the Big Bend received funds from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to help address the urgent issue of hunger in the community. Part of the resources were used to secure a new refrigerated van to facilitate the delivery of meals to the approximately 51,000 school-aged children in and around Tallahassee who are now unable to access free or reduced lunch due to school closures.
“The Bank of America Charitable Foundation recognized that tremendous resources are needed for Second Harvest to meet the increased food demands resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Monique Ellsworth, CEO of Second Harvest. “Their generosity helps empower us to provide a critical food safety net during this stressful time, greatly increasing the dexterity of our fleet and enabling our team to make urgent food deliveries.”
Second Harvest of the Big Bend is committed to increasing food distribution during the coronavirus pandemic to individuals and families who are unable to leave their homes by delivering donated and purchased food to local food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, senior community centers and children’s feeding programs.
With a focus on improving lives and strengthening communities, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation recently announced $100 million to support communities around the world during this time of need. As part of this effort, the bank is working with local nonprofits that are going above and beyond to provide assistance to those in urgent need amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
“These funds will support Second Harvest of the Big Bend’s efforts to increase access to food for children and families during this time by providing them with healthy, nourishing meals,” said David Hulse, Tallahassee market president for Bank of America. “As the coronavirus continues to affect the most vulnerable members of our community, we are committed to ensuring those who are struggling to make ends meet have access to basic needs, and we continue to look for ways to support our clients, communities and employees.”
Donations to Second Harvest of the Big Bend may be made online at http://fightinghunger.com/help. Funds not spent in this preparedness effort will be directed to support the ongoing emergency food needs of the community.
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About Second Harvest of the Big Bend
Second Harvest food bank’s mission is to feed the hungry in the Big Bend through a network of partner agencies, and to educate and engage the community in the fight to end hunger. One in five people (97,000) face hunger in the Big Bend. Fight hunger in your community! Visit www.FightingHunger.org for information.
About Bank of America
At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).
Bank of America has delivered more than $2 billion in philanthropic investments since 2009, with approximately $250 million in 2019 alone. In April 2019, the company announced a $5 billion Bank of America Community Homeownership Commitment™ to benefit low- and moderate-income homebuyers and communities across the U.S. over the next five years. Also in 2019, Bank of America Community Development Banking provided a record $4.88 billion in loans, tax credit equity investments and other real estate development solutions. Between 2005 and 2019, Bank of America financed 202,800 affordable housing units. To meet the unique needs of its 12 million small business owners, the company provides advice, solutions and dedicated support. Bank of America maintained its position as the nation’s top small business lender at the end of 2019, with $38.9 billion in total outstanding small business loan balances (defined as business loans in original amounts of $1 million and under), up 7% year over year.
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