Blog

Troy is the head breakfast chef at a large, high-end hotel in Philadelphia. He’s warm, engaging and exceptionally talented in the kitchen. To meet Troy now, you’d never guess how far he’s come. After spending a decade in prison, Troy was ready to put his life back together for the good of his family. But first, he needed help securing gainful employment that paid more than minimum wage. “I was trying to figure out how I was going to take care of my three girls on $7.25 an hour,” he said. “That’s not a good feeling at all.” About five years ago, Troy ...

Rich, like many of us, was taught that going to college would be the path to a better life. But long after completing his degree, he and his partner, Allison, have still found it difficult to afford their most basic expenses, like rent and food. The couple has three children – Bridgett, 2, Danny, 3, and Cecilia, 5. To avoid the additional cost of childcare, Rich works weekdays at a telecommunications job while Allison works retail on weekends. It’s not the ideal schedule for any family, but Rich and Allison feel it’s the best way to balance their financial obligations with ...

Shannan, a mother of three, knows it doesn’t take a degree in nutrition to understand the benefits of healthy eating. For her, it’s just common sense. Yet when it comes to feeding her kids, there have been times when she and her husband have been unable to provide them with the nourishing food they need. “You try to eat healthy, but you can buy a case of cupcakes for less than apples and bananas,” Shannan said. This fall, Shannan’s youngest, also named Shannan, is returning to school. She’s 11 and has cerebral palsy, which her mom says makes good nutrition even more ...

Mark Snyder is a Philadelphia native, educator and the father of twins, Jemmie and Ellie. A long-time hunger advocate since his days of teaching at-risk high schoolers, Mark was thrilled when his girls began to take an interest in serving their community. Mark said his extended family has been extremely generous to the girls. The idea struck him and his wife, a family doctor, that Jemmie and Ellie could use their birthday as an opportunity to give back. “When you are fortunate and have more than you need, there is a civic duty to learn how you can help others who don’t ...

In the Delaware Valley, three quarters of a million neighbors are at risk of going hungry, meaning they lack access to nutritious food on a regular basis. They may go to bed hungry some nights. One third of these individuals are children. This statistic is simply unacceptable. Research clearly shows that hunger, among other issues stemming from poverty, has a dramatic, negative effect on children, making it impossible for them to fulfill their potential. Hungry children are sick more often and are more likely to be hospitalized. They suffer from growth and other developmental impairments. They have more social and behavioral problems ...

While Philabundance is closed for the July 4th holiday, if you need food assistance, please call 1-866-3-HUNGRY. For restaurateurs, caterers and other businesses who have excess food to donate, please reach out to our partner, Food Connect through its website foodconnectgroup.com.   Have a happy 4th of July!

Joe D’Ginto, 75, is a retired senior who worked hard for most of his life. Joe’s mom passed away from a heart attack when he was just 11 years old and his dad struggled supporting him and his five siblings, ultimately leaving them to raise themselves. Dropping out of Radnor High School in 10th grade, Joe began working at an early age to earn enough money to survive. As he settled down and started a family, he continued to work different jobs – including cleaning at Radnor Middle School cleaning, maintaining utilities at Wayne Presbyterian Church, shining men’s shoes at Chester ...

Just a few weeks ago, we released this statement about President Trump’s extreme proposal to cut SNAP (food stamps) by over 25% and the harm that would cause. Now Congress is working on its version of the budget, and, unfortunately, we have reason to be concerned that SNAP is at risk. In the last few years, Congress has put forth budget proposals with cuts similar to those proposed by the President time and time again, so we are very concerned that SNAP is still on the chopping block, and will continue to be on the chopping block over and over. Making ...

by Sean Breslin, Manager of Community Food Programs Earlier this month we celebrated World Milk Day, a day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization to recognize the importance of milk as a global food. To celebrate, Philabundance staff Sean Breslin and Devin Hunter joined the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Feeding Pennsylvania and the American Dairy Association for a tour of Ar-Joy Farms in Chester County. Owned and operated by Duane and Marilyn Hershey, we saw first-hand Ar-Joy’s 600 head of cattle milked three times a day, around the clock. Part of this bounty goes to Fill A Glass With Hope, a Feeding ...

by Glenn Bergman, Executive Director of Philabundance I am always amazed at how much produce comes in to Philabundance from the Produce Center, the Port of Philadelphia, our grocery – retail store partners, and our farmers in the summer months. On Thursday, May 11th, we received a donation of 350 pounds of amazing farm product. This is perhaps one of the smallest donations of fresh vegetables we receive, but it is just as meaningful, especially when I tell you who gave it to us, where it came from, and the amazing people behind the food. The food came from a farm one block ...