GRANT FROM WALMART FOUNDATION HELPS FOOD RESCUE EFFORTS!
August 19, 2016
The Hunger Coalition Receives a $27,750 Grant for Food Rescue Programs
The Hunger Coalition recently received a $27,750 grant from the Walmart Foundation in support of their Food Rescue Program. The funding will be used to acquire the storage and food processing units necessary to ensure they never turn away fresh food donations for hungry families.
Through expansion of existing refrigeration, installation of a new walk-in freezer and the purchase of commercial grade food drier and food sealer, the Walmart Foundation funding will aid The Hunger Coalition in meeting their ambition food rescue goals. The new equipment will allow for the safe handling and storage of an unprecedented amount of rescued food. The Hunger Coalition plans to rescue 75,000 pounds of food this year by gleaning local fruit trees, harvesting excess produce from local gardens and recovering foods from local grocery stores.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, diverting just 15% of the food that currently goes to waste in America would cut the number of food insecure Americans in half. The Hunger Coalition provides food assistance to one out of six adults and children in Blaine County. “With an estimated 9 million pounds of food wasted each year in Blaine County, there is a glaring opportunity to cut hunger - and end needless waste - in our community,” said Jeanne Liston, Executive Director. Starting last fall with the public screening of Just Eat It, an eye-opening documentary about a couple who quits grocery shopping to survive on foods that would otherwise be thrown away, The Hunger Coalition has dedicated time and resources to educating the public and bridging the gap between hungry families and food waste with its Food Rescue Program.
The Walmart Foundation meets the needs of the under-served by directing charitable giving toward their core areas of focus: opportunity, sustainability and community. This year, The Walmart Foundation has chosen to support The Hunger Coalition’s sustainability efforts with their Food Rescue Program by awarding a grant for $27,750 to support their efforts to rescue and redistribute food to our community.
"On behalf of Walmart, I'd like to extend my congratulations to The Hunger Coalition on this grant and thank them for their service to the community," said Mark Marvin, Walmart market manager. "We are proud to work with The Hunger Coalition to fight hunger here in Idaho and look forward to their continued good work in communities throughout the state."
In 2015, The Hunger Coalition rescued over 47,000 pounds of perishable foods, including 6,001 pounds of fruits and vegetables from local trees, that would otherwise go to waste. All four grocery stores are committed to donating items that didn’t sell, these items are immediately distributed to families in need at The Hunger Coalition’s three weekly food distributions.
“We are so grateful to The Walmart Foundation, for supporting our Food Rescue efforts,” said Executive Director, Jeanne Liston. “Their grant will go toward expanding our Food Rescue program, allowing us to purchase much needed items to expand this program and see it flourish,” added Liston.
This is the fifth grant that The Hunger Coalition has received from the Walmart Foundation since 2011, totaling $147,750 in cumulative funding. With the support of organizations like the Walmart Foundation, The Hunger Coalition can ensure our community’s children have a real chance at becoming healthy, productive adults.
The Hunger Coalition strives to end hunger in our community by providing wholesome food to those in need and by promoting solutions to the underlying causes of hunger through collaboration, education and advocacy. For more information, visit www.thehungercoalition.org or call 788-0121.
About Philanthropy at Walmart
By using our strengths to help others, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation create opportunities for people to live better every day. We have stores in 28 countries, employing more than 2.2 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. We are helping people live better by accelerating upward job mobility and economic development for the retail workforce; addressing hunger and making healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality; and building strong communities where we operate and inspiring our associates to give back. Whether it is helping to lead the fight against hunger in the United States with $2 billion in cash and in-kind donations or supporting Women’s Economic Empowerment through a series of grants totaling $10 million to the Women in Factories training program in Bangladesh, China, India and Central America, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are not only working to tackle key social issues, we are also collaborating with others to inspire solutions for long-lasting systemic change. To learn more about Walmart’s giving, visit www.foundation.walmart.com.
The Hunger Coalition recently received a $27,750 grant from the Walmart Foundation in support of their Food Rescue Program. The funding will be used to acquire the storage and food processing units necessary to ensure they never turn away fresh food donations for hungry families.
Through expansion of existing refrigeration, installation of a new walk-in freezer and the purchase of commercial grade food drier and food sealer, the Walmart Foundation funding will aid The Hunger Coalition in meeting their ambition food rescue goals. The new equipment will allow for the safe handling and storage of an unprecedented amount of rescued food. The Hunger Coalition plans to rescue 75,000 pounds of food this year by gleaning local fruit trees, harvesting excess produce from local gardens and recovering foods from local grocery stores.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, diverting just 15% of the food that currently goes to waste in America would cut the number of food insecure Americans in half. The Hunger Coalition provides food assistance to one out of six adults and children in Blaine County. “With an estimated 9 million pounds of food wasted each year in Blaine County, there is a glaring opportunity to cut hunger - and end needless waste - in our community,” said Jeanne Liston, Executive Director. Starting last fall with the public screening of Just Eat It, an eye-opening documentary about a couple who quits grocery shopping to survive on foods that would otherwise be thrown away, The Hunger Coalition has dedicated time and resources to educating the public and bridging the gap between hungry families and food waste with its Food Rescue Program.
The Walmart Foundation meets the needs of the under-served by directing charitable giving toward their core areas of focus: opportunity, sustainability and community. This year, The Walmart Foundation has chosen to support The Hunger Coalition’s sustainability efforts with their Food Rescue Program by awarding a grant for $27,750 to support their efforts to rescue and redistribute food to our community.
"On behalf of Walmart, I'd like to extend my congratulations to The Hunger Coalition on this grant and thank them for their service to the community," said Mark Marvin, Walmart market manager. "We are proud to work with The Hunger Coalition to fight hunger here in Idaho and look forward to their continued good work in communities throughout the state."
In 2015, The Hunger Coalition rescued over 47,000 pounds of perishable foods, including 6,001 pounds of fruits and vegetables from local trees, that would otherwise go to waste. All four grocery stores are committed to donating items that didn’t sell, these items are immediately distributed to families in need at The Hunger Coalition’s three weekly food distributions.
“We are so grateful to The Walmart Foundation, for supporting our Food Rescue efforts,” said Executive Director, Jeanne Liston. “Their grant will go toward expanding our Food Rescue program, allowing us to purchase much needed items to expand this program and see it flourish,” added Liston.
This is the fifth grant that The Hunger Coalition has received from the Walmart Foundation since 2011, totaling $147,750 in cumulative funding. With the support of organizations like the Walmart Foundation, The Hunger Coalition can ensure our community’s children have a real chance at becoming healthy, productive adults.
The Hunger Coalition strives to end hunger in our community by providing wholesome food to those in need and by promoting solutions to the underlying causes of hunger through collaboration, education and advocacy. For more information, visit www.thehungercoalition.org or call 788-0121.
About Philanthropy at Walmart
By using our strengths to help others, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation create opportunities for people to live better every day. We have stores in 28 countries, employing more than 2.2 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. We are helping people live better by accelerating upward job mobility and economic development for the retail workforce; addressing hunger and making healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality; and building strong communities where we operate and inspiring our associates to give back. Whether it is helping to lead the fight against hunger in the United States with $2 billion in cash and in-kind donations or supporting Women’s Economic Empowerment through a series of grants totaling $10 million to the Women in Factories training program in Bangladesh, China, India and Central America, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are not only working to tackle key social issues, we are also collaborating with others to inspire solutions for long-lasting systemic change. To learn more about Walmart’s giving, visit www.foundation.walmart.com.
Contact:
Julie Molema, Communications Manager
jmolema@thehungercoalition.org, (208) 788-0121
