Bank of America Monterey Bay Market awarded Community FoodBank of San Benito $25,000. This award is part of a $100M commitment Bank of America has made nationally to communities impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
The Local Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s priorities are to increase medical response capacity, improve access to learning opportunities for families affected by school closures, and address food insecurity, which is how Community FoodBank became eligible for the grant.
In the early days of the crisis, beginning in March and running through April, food bank staff and volunteers began serving a substantially increased number of people – 7,000 people per month – whereas 6,000 people per month were served in the first two months of the year. The need in San Benito County continues to rise as the COVID-19 pandemic takes its toll on an increasing number of our neighbors.
Bank of America partnership creates an impact on our local community
“We are trying our best to keep up with the growing need for our food programs, and the Bank of America grant is a great help to enable us to meet that need,” said Maria Lynn Thomas, CEO of Community FoodBank of San Benito.
The grant will be used to purchase additional food and to support the infrastructure needed to meet the increase in food insecurity in our county. The food bank is focused on safe food handling practices, providing PPE (personal protective equipment) to staff and volunteers, and adapting systems to accommodate customers.
For example, as a result of COVID-19 and the need to practice social distancing, the food bank instituted a drive-thru grocery pick-up on Fridays and Saturdays to replace an indoor marketplace “shopping experience.” Financial support from partners like Bank of America make this work possible.
If you or someone you know is in need, please contact Community FoodBank online, via phone at 831-637-0340, or by email.