Late this spring, the White House announced plans for a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The conference date has been announced! The Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health will be held on Wednesday, September 28th and will be live-streamed . The last conference of this kind was over 50
Virtual food drives are a more economical and impactful way to give! If you’re unfamiliar with virtual food drives, they are a more economical and impactful way to give to communities facing hunger. Instead of driving to the store, purchasing food to donate, and then dropping those items off at
September is Hunger Action Month — the Feeding America network’s annual nationwide campaign designed to inspire people to take action and raise awareness of hunger in the United States. This month-long campaign brings attention to the reality of food insecurity in the U.S. and promotes ways for individuals to get
As we reflect on our Philabundance Let’s Eat meal box program, which wrapped up earlier this month, we’re excited to share highlights from this summer initiative. Over the course of eight weeks, June 13th through August 6th, we distributed 16,000 nutritious meal kits to our 9-county community. That’s a total
The judges have chosen, and the 2022 Philabundance “Top Guac” Competition winner is Jessica deRivera, Development & Engagement Manager, Billy Penn at WHYY! Philabundance, The GIANT Company, and Avocados from Peru teamed up for the 2nd annual Top Guac competition. The three guest contestants had 15 minutes to pit, mash,
Since 2011, Feeding America has conducted their annual Map the Meal Gap study to provide its member food banks with details about food insecurity on a local level. Food insecurity is a measure of access to enough food for a healthy and active life. From the data now available, which
In her day job, Hannah Kastenbaum puts her passion to work each and every day: using her medical degree to help others. As an associate medical examiner for the City of Philadelphia’s Medical Examiner Office, Kastenbaum provides an important service to grieving families, public health, and the criminal justice process.
Dear Friends, I hope your summer, so far, has been a time for relaxing, reenergizing, and reconnecting with family, friends, and the community. While the adverse effects of COVID-19, inflation, and supply chain issues will be with us for a long time, I’m confident we are making strides. I find
As summer begins, we are entering a challenging new phase for school and summer meal providers – and for the children and families who rely on them. While Pennsylvania has provided some flexibility to nutrition programs to better function through several USDA waivers, two waivers will expire unless Congress acts.
Many children in our region rely on meals served at school to provide the nutrition they need to learn and grow. However, after school, on weekends, and especially during summer breaks, consistent access to fresh, healthy food may become unavailable. Like many organizations, Philabundance had to adjust distribution operations during
She is the woman that ensures that everyone feels welcomed and connected to our mission here at Philabundance. Her name is Laura Macenka, and we feel so incredibly fortunate to work with her. Laura is the Director of Volunteers and Events, but her abilities go far beyond her title. With
In addition to Let’s Eat meal kits, we will highlight an educational or community resource each week. This page contains an archive of all of the Let’s Eat resources we’ve shared to date. Week 1 To kick off the summer, we wanted to provide information that would complement the
Approximately 400,000 children in the Philabundance service area, which covers nine counties in Southeastern PA and Southern NJ, rely on school-provided meals as a steady food source when school is in session. The loss of these meals during the summer forces too many families to face the additional challenge of
That’s a wrap! We are so thankful to everyone who spent time with us repacking food during Volunteer Appreciation Week. Our dedicated volunteers helped the Philabundance team sort and box more than 22,000 pounds of nutritious food. We owe so much of our success to everyone helping us carry out
Partnership for Healthier America (PHA), along with PHA Honorary Chair Michelle Obama and Higher Ground Productions, recently announced that the ‘Pass the Love w/ Waffles + Mochi’ campaign has surpassed its goal of distributing one million healthy meals to families facing food insecurity around the country. ‘Pass the Love’, which
Philabundance is excited to announce our new Chief Development Officer, Chuck Wright. This seasoned professional will lead a dynamic development team and oversee all development and fundraising efforts at Philabundance, a hunger relief organization that directly serves more than 300 community focused organizations and provides additional food resources through lead
Thank you to everyone who attended our Health and Hunger webinar, the first of our Food for Thought Virtual Conversation Series. This webinar featured a panel of speakers with national, regional, and local perspectives on the issue of food insecurity in relation to health and well-being. If you missed the
If anything can be said about the past two years, it’s that Philadelphians have come together to rise above the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the hard-fought, intense struggles we’ve faced, we’ve seen thousands upon thousands of selfless individuals put their own challenges aside to volunteer their time to help
Education, health, and hunger — there’s no arguing the impact you can make on humankind in any one of these areas, according to Peter. As a career cardiologist and graduate of LaSalle University, DiBattiste has chosen to leave a legacy in all three of these areas with planned gifts to
The pandemic has altered day-to-day life for most of us, and Philabundance is no exception. With many working remotely, practicing social distance and limiting the number of people gathering at any given time, the traditional food drive model, like so many other events, went virtual! While a Virtual Food Drive
Dear Friends, I hope you and your loved ones are safe, well, and looking forward to spring. For me, spring is the most inspiring of the seasons. It’s the season of hope. As you’ll read about in the latest print issue of The Feed, “It’s All Good” at Philabundance right
Ramadan is a sacred time of fasting, introspection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion to prayer. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and those unable to fast are encouraged to help feed others in need. For the second year in a row, Philabundance will be working with State Senator Street’s office to
Meet Jamiliyah Foster: Director, Ending Hunger for Good Raised by a social worker mother, Jamiliyah Foster has always felt a strong commitment to service. “My mother always reminded my brother and me that we have many blessings to count,” remembers Jamiliyah. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Jamiliyah Foster graduated from
Philabundance was founded on the belief that no food should go to waste while people struggle to put food on their table. We started this project over 35 years ago and have continued to grow and evolve as we learn more about hunger in our area. Our growth has included
You’ve likely heard the old adage, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” It turns out, there’s a lot of truth to that, especially when it comes to students. Extensive studies show that children who eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to: Have better concentration and memory.
Have you heard? Good things are coming to Philabundance, and we can’t wait to share the news! Here at Philabundance, we rely on our partners to help us identify innovative ways to drive hunger from our communities today and End Hunger for Good. And this year, we’ve got an exciting
We all know the power of a delicious meal—one that comforts us, nourishes us and connects us with the people we love. Food is a fundamental part of our experience as humans. Sharing food binds us together, strengthens our communities, and reinforces our connections with each other. When it comes down
Today, as we commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr., we’re once again inspired by his unwavering commitment to service. Dr. King knew that the fight for justice and equality was connected to our collective service to those in need. Today, as we take time with our community and nation to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy, we also heed his call to action. At Philabundance,
Thank you for supporting Philabundance In 2021, those facing food insecurity throughout our region could count on Philabundance every day. We know that the tireless efforts of our supporters—the donors, volunteers, staff, and agency partners who make up our community—made that possible. Now, as we look toward the future, we’re
As we celebrate the holiday season, many of us want to spread hope and comfort to those who are struggling—but problems like hunger in our communities can often feel impossible. In times like these, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. Together, we can make an extraordinary impact. When
Our amazing team at the Philabundance Community Kitchen joined Good Day Philadelphia to share some holiday recipes. Watch this segment, courtesy of FOX29, featuring a cooking demo and the full recipes are below for your enjoyment. Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Butter & Sage Ingredients: 2-ea. Butternut Squash, peeled &
Anti-hunger advocates often talk about fighting hunger in their own backyards and Desireè La Marr-Murphy, a partner of Philabundance, took that call to action literally. After seeing rising hunger rates in her community due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she began operating a food pantry, Murphy’s Giving Market, in the backyard
At Philabundance, and for families across the country, the holiday season is in full swing. And for those of us fortunate enough, the holidays are full of warm feelings—the return of gatherings and celebrations and the opportunity to come together with loved ones. But, we know all too well that
The Full Plate Society represents some of Philabundance’s most generous philanthropic leaders, committed to our mission to drive hunger from our communities today and to end hunger for good. These members, who contribute $1,000 or more annually, make up just 6 percent of Philabundance’s individual donors, but account for
If you have ever volunteered at the Philabundance Hunger Relief Center in South Philadelphia, chances are you have had the pleasure of meeting Damien Douglas. And if you have met Damien, the chances are great that you will return to volunteer again. Damien is the Philabundance repack supervisor. His job
“At the end of the day, if people can’t eat, nothing else matters,” David says. In March 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, David Antzis was watching the news when it hit him. There, in front of his eyes, was a 9-year old Monmouth County, NJ girl
Dear Friends, As we’ve moved into the transition phase of COVID-19 toward a new normal, I’m reminded that change is stressful—that anxiety, fear, worry, and even excitement all play a part. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to feel during this time, just a need for us to
When Elias Bitar, Chef and owner of Norma’s Restaurant in Cherry Hill, was approached about making meals for Afghan evacuees arriving in Philadelphia, he knew he wanted to help but had to figure out how. With a 300-square-foot kitchen, he couldn’t produce hundreds, if not thousands, of meals daily and
Today is National Voter Registration Day. Food banks like Philabundance are on the frontlines to ensure no one goes hungry, but we cannot do this work alone. Strong government policies and programs are needed to alleviate hunger today and end hunger for good. Elected officials make decisions that impact hunger
Parents everywhere often face the problem of their kids not liking the food put in front of them at breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s a tale as old as time: picky eaters. Parents try to make healthy choices and find foods that they hope their kids will eat. Both of
Over the course of four weeks in August, Philabundance partnered with over 25 locations to distribute 240,000 meals throughout the Philadelphia area. This effort was part of a national campaign called Pass the Love that was brought to Philadelphia by Partnership for a Healthier America and former First Lady Michelle Obama. Each
Philabundance receives many generous food donations to support our work to end hunger across greater Philadelphia, but when 50,000 avocados came in from Giant Food Stores and Avocados From Peru, the celebration called for, what else, guacamole. Giant team members volunteered at Philabundance to unload, store and distribute the avocados,
As Director of Food Sourcing, Kait Bowdler and her 10-person team is responsible for all of the food that comes into Philabundance to be distributed. In her five and a half years with us, she has been an integral piece of our puzzle. When COVID-19 swept the world by
Hunger has always been a passion for Luisa Contreiras, one that’s become multi-generational in her household. “There’s such abundance in this country, and yet, so many people don’t have enough to eat,” she says. “It’s easy to look the other way, and I didn’t want my daughter to grow up
Dear Friends, As we head into summer, anxiously awaiting more opportunities to gather safely together, I hope this issue of The Feed finds you well. This year, as our children adjusted to learning in new settings, many at home, we faced the unique challenge of feeding children who
As I reflect on my first year as CEO of Philabundance, I think of people. I think of the alarmingly large number of people in our region who struggled to feed their families—often for the first time—as the pandemic and accompanying economic crisis took hold. I think of the incredibly
Anti-hunger advocates often talk about fighting hunger in their own backyards. Desiree Lamar Murphy took that call to action literally. Seeing rising hunger rates in her community due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she began operating Murphy’s Giving Market in the backyard of her Upper Darby home. Desiree and her
Philabundance proudly partnered with State Senator Sharif Street to provide meals to the community during Ramadan, the holiest month of the year for Muslims and a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to fast from sundown to sunset, and those unable to
National Volunteer Week celebrates the impact of volunteer service at Philabundance and spotlights some of our most dedicated volunteers over the last year. 1. Please tell me about your role as a volunteer with Philabundance. What do you do? Through the last decade, my primary volunteer roles have
During the month of March, Philabundance is thrilled to celebrate National Nutrition Month alongside Feeding America and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This year’s National Nutrition Month theme of Personalize Your Plate reflects Philabundance’s expansive and diverse service area. In Philadelphia alone, nearly one in four residents speaks a