Resolve to Give Back, Find Resources and Join the Fight Against Hunger in 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Resolve to Give Back, Find Resources and Join the Fight Against Hunger in 2020

 

Philadelphia, PA, January 9, 2020— New census reports from December 2019 show that in most Philadelphia neighborhoods, household incomes are down and rates of poverty are rising. This data shows why Philabundance is committed to driving hunger from its communities today and ending hunger for good – and why it is critical to help in the fight against hunger. In 2020, Philabundance is expanding its culinary and life-skills training program and will also offer even more ways for community members to get involved in hunger relief or to find food in times of need.

 

Get A Fresh Start: Since 2000, Philabundance Community Kitchen (PCK) has provided free culinary and life skills training, helping adults with no- to low income prepare for and secure living-wage jobs through its 14-week program. To date, PCK has served about 5 million meals to Philadelphians in need and helped more than 900 graduates enter the workforce. This summer, PCK will move into an 18,800 square foot dedicated facility where it can best enhance its educational and community impact. Support the program by a using PCKatering, a catering company and social enterprise whose proceeds go toward the PCK program.

Learn how to support PCK or enroll as a student at https://www.philabundance.org/pck/.

 

Give Back: Philabundance couldn’t serve 90,000 people each week without dedicated volunteers, and in the New Year, it needs more volunteers to help sort and pack over 3 million pounds of food from holiday food drives. Sign up to help at https://www.philabundance.org/volunteer/.

Hunger impacts every zip code, and Philabundance tackles that problem with the help of 350 member agencies which operate food pantries, emergency kitchens, produce distributions, and other hunger relief programs throughout nine counties in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Volunteer opportunities at agencies are available at https://www.philabundancevolunteers.org/agency/.

 

Fight Waste:

  • One in five Philadelphians faces hunger, while 40 percent of all food produced in the U.S. goes to waste. To increase its food rescue efforts, Philabundance partners with Food Connect to pick up local businesses’ quality, excess food and deliver it to Philabundance agency partners. Food Connect needs more restaurant and food retail partners and volunteer drivers to rescue surplus food. Learn more at http://www.foodconnectgroup.com/.
  • Philabundance’s Abundantly Good retail brand fights food waste, helps our neighbors in need, and benefits local farmers. Proceeds from Abundantly Good cheese go toward processing excess milk from small Pennsylvania farms into free cheese for people facing hunger. Abundantly Good Tomato Jam also rescues quality food and proceeds go to provide people in need with tomato-based products from quality produce that would otherwise go to waste. Learn more at https://www.philabundance.org/upcycle.

 

Find Food: For those in need of food assistance, visit Philabundance online at https://www.philabundance.org/find-food/.

 

Learn more about these programs or how you can support Philabundance by contacting Lisa Ryan, Public Relations Associate, at lryan@philabundance.org or 724-259-3524 x1155 or by visiting Philabundance.org.

~

About Philabundance
Philabundance is the Delaware Valley’s largest hunger relief organization. For 35 years, it has focused on providing emergency food to those in need. In 2018, it relieved hunger by distributing more than 26 million pounds of food through a network of 350 member agencies. In 2019, it began partnerships with critical services providers, offering food coupled with other services to end hunger for good. Philabundance serves more than 90,000 people each week, 30 percent of whom are children, 16 percent of whom are seniors, and other clients include college students, single parents and the working class. Give now or learn more at Philabundance.org.

 

Philabundance Awards 49 Member Agencies with Capacity Grants

Philabundance Awards 49 Member Agencies with Capacity Grants

Philabundance has announced $250,000 in 2025–2027 Capacity Grants for 49 member agencies across Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. This funding will provide the operational capital needed to allow organizations to remain flexible and able to adapt to changing needs.

From faith-based institutions in Delaware County to social service agencies meeting the needs of diverse families across Philadelphia County, the 2025–2027 Philabundance Capacity grantees are among the hundreds of organizations that partner with Philabundance to support the more than 600,000 individuals in our region experiencing food insecurity.

The grantees include

  • Bucks County: Bucks County Opportunity Council; Faith Baptist Church
  • Delaware County: Blessed Virgin Mary; Loaves & Fishes; Prayer Chapel Church of God in Christ
  • Mercer County: Prince of Peace Center
  • Montgomery County: Bethel Community Church; ElderNet of Lower Merion and Narberth; Grace Lutheran Norristown; Love Works Resource Center; Mitzvah Circle; Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard; Patrician Society
  • Philadelphia County: African Family Health Organization; Alexander McClure Elementary School; Bebashi; Bethany Missionary Baptist Church; Breaking Bread on Broad; Bright Hope Baptist Church; Broad Street Love; Brothers of Strawberry Mansion; Calvary Agape Outreach Services; Casa Del Carmen; Cast Your Cares; Christ Apostolic WOSEM; Community Center at Visitation; Episcopal Community Services; The Family Practice & Counseling Network; First Church Worship Center; Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry; Grace Community Christian Center; Kensington Health Sciences Academy; Lutheran Settlement House; Mighty Writers; Mi Salud Wellness; Nationalities Services Center; North Light Community Center; Old Pine Community Center; Open Door Ministries; Our Brothers Place; Paul L Dunbar School; Project H.O.M.E.; Southwest Family Service Center; St. Paul Outreach; Word In Action International Ministries
  • York County: Bethlehem Baptist Church; Mattie Dixon Community Center
  • Southern New Jersey: Puerto Rican Unity for Progress; SisterHood Inc.

Philabundance Capacity Grants help improve each organization’s ability to operate more efficiently and deliver effective food distribution programs and services. To date, $4.4 million dollars in Philabundance Capacity Grants have been allocated for capacity-building infrastructure, such as refrigerators, freezers, refrigerated vans and technology to empower community partners and improve the food distribution network.

“As federal resources continue to shrink and hunger remains a distressing reality in the Greater Philadelphia region, community-based nonprofits are often a lifeline for families in need of healthy food,” said Loree D. Jones Brown, CEO of Philabundance. “Investing directly in our partners and their infrastructure allows us to swiftly and efficiently meet the needs of thousands of our friends and neighbors experiencing food insecurity.”

“Breaking Bread on Broad is [very] grateful for the new refrigerators we will be able to purchase with our Philabundance grant,” said Dan Seltzer, co-leader of Breaking Bread on Broad (BBoB). “Breaking Bread on Broad is the food pantry of Congregation Rodeph Shalom whose mission is to provide our neighbors in need with food, diapers and period supplies each week. With this grant, we will be able to provide our BBoB neighbors with more fresh fruits, vegetables, and protein to better feed their families.”

“​​With this funding, Casa Del Carmen will invest in critical hardware—such as commercial refrigeration, durable shelving, metal prep-table and mini hand pallet jack—that will enhance the efficiency and reliability of our food pantry operations,” said Janet DeJesus, office manager at Casa Del Carmen. “These improvements will allow us to store more fresh and nutritious food, reduce waste, and serve our neighbors more quickly and with greater dignity. By strengthening our infrastructure, we are not only improving daily logistics but also deepening our commitment to food security and community well-being.”

2025 Justice for the Hungry Campaign Results

2025 Justice for the Hungry Campaign Results

Philabundance recently celebrated the 18 law firms that participated in the 2025 Justice for the Hungry campaign, during which law…
PHILABUNDANCE, THE GIANT COMPANY KICK OFF 2025 SUMMER LUNCHBOX PROGRAM

PHILABUNDANCE, THE GIANT COMPANY KICK OFF 2025 SUMMER LUNCHBOX PROGRAM

When school pauses for the summer, school-provided lunches pause with it. Philabundance and The GIANT Company fill that gap for…