Food Bank for Westchester Receives $75,000 Grant from Walmart

The Walmart Foundation has given the Food Bank for Westchester a $75,000 grant.

This grant will support all the Food Bank’s emergency food distribution programs for the most vulnerable populations, which include children and the elderly:

• Mobile Food Program
• Rapid Distribution
• Green Thumb
• BackPack Program
• Kids Café
• Food Growing Program
• SNAP Outreach and Education
• Retail Store Pick-up Program

These programs provide 95 percent of all the food given to hungry Westchester residents in the form of cooked meals or groceries to take home, making Food Bank for Westchester the backbone of the county’s emergency food distribution network, officials said in a press release.

“We are humbled and delighted by this generous gift from the Walmart Foundation,” Ellen Lynch, Executive Director of the Food Bank for Westchester, said in the statement. “This funding is vital to further assist the Food Bank in providing healthy, nutritious food for families in Westchester County.”

Food Bank officials said about 200,000 people in Westchester County are hungry or facing food insecurity—a lack of access to adequate, nutritious food.

One out of three of those at risk are children and 22 percent are elderly.

To address these concerns and to provide healthier options, Food Bank’s expanded food distribution programs, will continue to deliver more nutritious foods including produce, dairy and protein to these populations.

“Walmart is committed to assisting organizations like Food Bank for Westchester as part of our hunger relief initiative,” Walmart’s Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations, Jason Klipa, said in the statement. “Funding for the Food Bank is an important source of support to thousands of people in Westchester County, especially as we approach the holidays, and we are grateful to be able to contribute to the efforts of keeping food supplies well-stocked for those in need year-round.”

About Philanthropy at Walmart Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to helping people live better through philanthropic efforts. By operating globally and giving back locally, Walmart is uniquely positioned to address the needs of the communities it serves and make a significant social impact within its core areas of giving: Hunger Relief & Healthy Eating, Sustainability, Career Opportunity and Women’s Economic Empowerment. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are leading the fight against hunger in the United States with a $2 billion commitment through 2015. Walmart has donated more than 1 billion meals to those in need across the country. To learn more about Walmart’s giving, visit foundation.walmart.com.

About the Food Bank for Westchester

Incorporated in 1988, the Food Bank for Westchester is one of eight regional food banks in New York State. It acquires, warehouses and distributes more than 7.2 million pounds of food annually to 265 frontline hunger-relief programs, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, day care and residential programs serving the estimated 200,000 Westchester residents who are hungry or at risk of being hungry. In 2013 the Food Bank served 6,204,101 meals to Westchester County residents. Based in Elmsford, NY, the Food Bank is located in a 37,000sf warehouse and is home to Westchester’s largest refrigerator and freezer. Visit www.foodbankforwestchester.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/foodbankforwestchester.com.

PHOTO: From L to R: John Kirkpatrick, City Councilman; Charles Day, Vice President, Food Bank for Westchester Board of Directors; Josh Strudl, Manager, Walmart White Plains and Al Mairoino, President at Public Strategy Group, Inc. Gathered around them were Walmart White Plains store associates. Courtesy Food Bank for Westchester.