US Foods Holding Corp., a leading foodservice distributor, today announced it has donated more than $10 million in food and supplies to local food banks and charitable organizations across the country since the beginning of March. The donations include items such as meat, dairy, produce and other non-food supplies.
Given the impacts of COVID-19, many food banks are struggling to meet the increasing needs of their communities as more Americans seek support. According to Feeding America, school closures, rising unemployment and rising poverty due to stay-at-home orders will disproportionately impact people already at risk of hunger and could result in an estimated additional 17.1 million people experiencing food insecurity.
“We are proud of our long-standing partnerships with local food banks and charities across the country,” says Pietro Satriano, chairman and CEO, US Foods. “As our partners work to keep up with unprecedented demand, we’re pleased to play a role in supporting ongoing hunger relief efforts.”
As a Feeding America Leadership partner, the company has ongoing partnerships with a variety of food banks across the country. In the New York Metro Area alone, the company has donated approximately 25 truckloads of product to local area food banks.
“As the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis worsens, the demand for food assistance is greater than ever before,” adds Carlos Rodriguez, president and CEO, Community Food Bank of New Jersey (CFBNJ). “We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with US Foods and their most recent donations. Together, we can keep our neighbors healthy and well-fed, whether they were already struggling prior to the pandemic or are coming to CFBNJ for support for the first time in their lives.”
In addition to ongoing product donations to local food banks and charitable organizations, US Foods continues to collaborate with restaurants across the country to donate products and logistics support to meal packing events designed to provide much-needed relief to displaced food service workers, first-responders and health care workers.
