August 12, 2009

Representative Boyle’s Offices Help Bring Emergency Hunger Relief In Northeast Philadelphia

Philabundance Provides EBox Access as part of New Emergency Relief Initiative

PHILADELPHIA –August 12, 2009 – Philabundance has teamed up with the Office of Representative Brendan Boyle, of the 170th Legislative District to offer families in need of emergency food access to Emergency Food Boxes (EBoxes) in two locations in Northeast Philadelphia.

EBoxes are available at Representative Brendan Boyle’s two offices located at 14230 Bustleton Avenue and 7215 Rising Sun Avenue Mondays through Fridays between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Emergency Food Boxes weigh 30 pounds and contain shelf-stable food for three meals for a family of four to last for about three days. EBoxes usually contain the following items: hot and cold breakfast cereals, shelf-stable milk, canned meat and fish, canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter and jelly, bagged/boxed grains, macaroni and cheese. The boxes also contain information on agencies in the client’s area that can provide assistance on an on-going basis.

Emergency Food Boxes are part of Philabundance’s Emergency Relief Initiative (ERI), which was created to improve the access the community has to emergency food while increasing the amount of food going into the community. Philabundance developed the EBox program in order to respond to the increasing emergency calls from people who need immediate access to food. Households can only receive an EBox once because it is an emergency measure that is not meant to serve as an on-going source of food. EBox serves as an immediate aid to hold a family over until Philabundance can connect them with ongoing food assistance through an agency within its network of close to 600 agencies.

Representative Brendan Boyle stated the following on the new collaboration, “As the worldwide economic crisis lingers on, it is essential that all community leaders work together in ensuring the sustainability and prosperity of those in our communities which find themselves in transition.  Partnerships between the public and private sectors such as this are an innovative way to address complicated problems. It is a pleasure to work with Philabundance.”

Philabundance is the region’s largest hunger relief organization fighting hunger and malnutrition in the Delaware Valley. Philabundance provides a full plate of services to close to 600 member agencies in 10 counties, who serve approximately 900,000 low income residents. Philabundance provides food to approximately 65,000 people per week, at an aggregate cost of less than 30 cents per meal. In 2008, Philabundance, distributed 17 million pounds of food in the Delaware Valley. For more information about Philabundance, call 215-339-0900 or visit www.philabundance.org.

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