Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech – one of the greatest speeches in American history – on August 28th, 1963, calling for an end to racism. Dr. King’s legacy extends far beyond that speech. Throughout his time as a civil rights pioneer, both
On a recent Tuesday morning, volunteers at the West Chester Food Cupboard loaded shopping carts with groceries for the line of cars that wound along the outside of the pantry’s warehouse. “We give out the best foods,” Connie Gentile said proudly. Connie, a 22-year veteran volunteer, said the pantry
Thank you for your continued partnership and support! Philabundance is pleased to announce the generous donation of $250,000 from the Energy Transfer/Sunoco Foundation. The donation will help to provide fuel for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, allowing Philabundance to provide hundreds of thousands of meals to our communities in need.
Small Gifts. Big Impact. Donations from individuals make up the majority of the support we receive at Philabundance. We know that without such incredible generosity from members of the community, we simply would not be able to do this important work. Every day, donors join us in our
This year marks the second anniversary for the Philabundance Community Kitchen (PCK) program operating from its dedicated, state-of-the-art facility. The 16-week culinary arts and life skills training program provides a path to stability and self-sufficiency by preparing students for work in the food service industry. Students get hands-on experience in a working kitchen
Thank you for an amazing year! As 2022 comes to an end, we would like to say THANK YOU for a great year! With the unwavering support of our staff, donors, community partners, and volunteers, we’ve provided more than 52 million pounds of fresh healthy food and distributed 400,000 ready-to-eat meals to people in need throughout
Happy Holidays, Philabundance Family! I truly believe this time of year creates something special. Maybe it’s the traditions, the holiday meals, the promise of a new year—or maybe it’s just the opportunity to spend more time with those we love. Unfortunately, we know that for many people in
This holiday season, enjoy two savory side recipes from our talented Philabundance Community Kitchen (PCK) chefs. These delicious recipes are sure to be a hit at the table. Bon Appétit! ROASTED CAULIFLOWER AND SMOKED GOUDA MAC AND CHEESE Serves 8 CAULIFLOWER SAUCE 3 cups cauliflower florets, cut small 1 tsp salt 1
This Giving Tuesday we once again joined 6ABC for the Annual Holiday Food Drive! The Holiday Food Drive raises funds to help Philabundance in our mission to relieve hunger today and end hunger for good. From 4 pm-6:30 pm, 6ABC broadcasted a series of news segments while volunteers waited
As the holidays approach, many people are busy giving gifts, planning parties, and stocking up on groceries for holiday celebrations. Many of the individuals we serve, though, can’t afford to go shopping for gifts let alone nutritious food, so the need for donations this time of year becomes even greater. Together
We are Thankful for YOU Together, with your help, we were able to fill both plates AND hearts this Thanksgiving despite the increased costs of food. Through both physical and monetary donations, we’re ensuring our neighbors in need can celebrate and enjoy the bounty of the holiday with family
As the 25th Anniversary of the Preston and Steve Camp Out for Hunger takes place this week (11/07-11/11/22), we at Philabundance are taking a moment to look back at the history of this incredible event and some of the people who have helped support it, ensuring it comes together. One group that has
Halloween is just around the corner and there are spooky decorations everywhere we look. For many, it’s a time full of frightful fun with monsters and mummies, and ghosts and goblins galore. At the end of the evening on October 31st costumes get packed away and the decorations come down.
As the Philadelphia Phillies face off against the Houston Astros, Philabundance has challenged the Houston Food Bank to a friendly fundraising competition to see which city steps up to Strike Out Hunger. Coming off a win in our challenge against Feeding San Diego, Philabundance is so grateful to our incredible
Philabundance and Feeding San Diego both had teams facing off on the baseball field for their division’s championship. In the spirit of friendly competition, Philabundance challenged Feeding San Diego to see who can raise more funding to feed the people we serve. With the cost of food rising, too many
Late this spring, the White House announced plans for a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The conference date has been announced! The Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health will be held on Wednesday, September 28th and will be live-streamed. The last conference of this kind was over 50 years
Virtual food drives are a more economical and impactful way to give! If you’re unfamiliar with virtual food drives, they are a more economical and impactful way to give to communities facing hunger. Instead of driving to the store, purchasing food to donate, and then dropping those items off at
September is Hunger Action Month — the Feeding America network’s annual nationwide campaign designed to inspire people to take action and raise awareness of hunger in the United States. This month-long campaign brings attention to the reality of food insecurity in the U.S. and promotes ways for individuals to get
As we reflect on our Philabundance Let’s Eat meal box program, which wrapped up earlier this month, we’re excited to share highlights from this summer initiative. Over the course of eight weeks, June 13th through August 6th, we distributed 16,000 nutritious meal kits to our 9-county community. That’s a total
The judges have chosen, and the 2022 Philabundance “Top Guac” Competition winner is Jessica deRivera, Development & Engagement Manager, Billy Penn at WHYY! Philabundance, The GIANT Company, and Avocados from Peru teamed up for the 2nd annual Top Guac competition. The three guest contestants had 15 minutes to pit, mash,
Since 2011, Feeding America has conducted their annual Map the Meal Gap study to provide its member food banks with details about food insecurity on a local level. Food insecurity is a measure of access to enough food for a healthy and active life. From the data now available, which
In her day job, Hannah Kastenbaum puts her passion to work each and every day: using her medical degree to help others. As an associate medical examiner for the City of Philadelphia’s Medical Examiner Office, Kastenbaum provides an important service to grieving families, public health, and the criminal justice process.
Dear Friends, I hope your summer, so far, has been a time for relaxing, reenergizing, and reconnecting with family, friends, and the community. While the adverse effects of COVID-19, inflation, and supply chain issues will be with us for a long time, I’m confident we are making strides. I find
As summer begins, we are entering a challenging new phase for school and summer meal providers – and for the children and families who rely on them. While Pennsylvania has provided some flexibility to nutrition programs to better function through several USDA waivers, two waivers will expire unless Congress acts.
Many children in our region rely on meals served at school to provide the nutrition they need to learn and grow. However, after school, on weekends, and especially during summer breaks, consistent access to fresh, healthy food may become unavailable. Like many organizations, Philabundance had to adjust distribution operations during
She is the woman that ensures that everyone feels welcomed and connected to our mission here at Philabundance. Her name is Laura Macenka, and we feel so incredibly fortunate to work with her. Laura is the Director of Volunteers and Events, but her abilities go far beyond her title. With
In addition to Let’s Eat meal kits, we will highlight an educational or community resource each week. This page contains an archive of all of the Let’s Eat resources we’ve shared to date. Week 1 To kick off the summer, we wanted to provide information that would complement the
Approximately 400,000 children in the Philabundance service area, which covers nine counties in Southeastern PA and Southern NJ, rely on school-provided meals as a steady food source when school is in session. The loss of these meals during the summer forces too many families to face the additional challenge of
That’s a wrap! We are so thankful to everyone who spent time with us repacking food during Volunteer Appreciation Week. Our dedicated volunteers helped the Philabundance team sort and box more than 22,000 pounds of nutritious food. We owe so much of our success to everyone helping us carry out
Partnership for Healthier America (PHA), along with PHA Honorary Chair Michelle Obama and Higher Ground Productions, recently announced that the ‘Pass the Love w/ Waffles + Mochi’ campaign has surpassed its goal of distributing one million healthy meals to families facing food insecurity around the country. ‘Pass the Love’, which
Philabundance is excited to announce our new Chief Development Officer, Chuck Wright. This seasoned professional will lead a dynamic development team and oversee all development and fundraising efforts at Philabundance, a hunger relief organization that directly serves more than 300 community focused organizations and provides additional food resources through lead
Thank you to everyone who attended our Health and Hunger webinar, the first of our Food for Thought Virtual Conversation Series. This webinar featured a panel of speakers with national, regional, and local perspectives on the issue of food insecurity in relation to health and well-being. If you missed the
If anything can be said about the past two years, it’s that Philadelphians have come together to rise above the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the hard-fought, intense struggles we’ve faced, we’ve seen thousands upon thousands of selfless individuals put their own challenges aside to volunteer their time to help
Education, health, and hunger — there’s no arguing the impact you can make on humankind in any one of these areas, according to Peter. As a career cardiologist and graduate of LaSalle University, DiBattiste has chosen to leave a legacy in all three of these areas with planned gifts to
The pandemic has altered day-to-day life for most of us, and Philabundance is no exception. With many working remotely, practicing social distance and limiting the number of people gathering at any given time, the traditional food drive model, like so many other events, went virtual! While a Virtual Food Drive
Dear Friends, I hope you and your loved ones are safe, well, and looking forward to spring. For me, spring is the most inspiring of the seasons. It’s the season of hope. As you’ll read about in the latest print issue of The Feed, “It’s All Good” at Philabundance right
Ramadan is a sacred time of fasting, introspection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion to prayer. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and those unable to fast are encouraged to help feed others in need. For the second year in a row, Philabundance will be working with State Senator Street’s office to
Meet Jamiliyah Foster: Director, Ending Hunger for Good Raised by a social worker mother, Jamiliyah Foster has always felt a strong commitment to service. “My mother always reminded my brother and me that we have many blessings to count,” remembers Jamiliyah. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Jamiliyah Foster graduated from
Philabundance was founded on the belief that no food should go to waste while people struggle to put food on their table. We started this project over 35 years ago and have continued to grow and evolve as we learn more about hunger in our area. Our growth has included
You’ve likely heard the old adage, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” It turns out, there’s a lot of truth to that, especially when it comes to students. Extensive studies show that children who eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to: Have better concentration and memory.
Have you heard? Good things are coming to Philabundance, and we can’t wait to share the news! Here at Philabundance, we rely on our partners to help us identify innovative ways to drive hunger from our communities today and End Hunger for Good. And this year, we’ve got an exciting
We all know the power of a delicious meal—one that comforts us, nourishes us and connects us with the people we love. Food is a fundamental part of our experience as humans. Sharing food binds us together, strengthens our communities, and reinforces our connections with each other. When it comes down
Today, as we commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr., we’re once again inspired by his unwavering commitment to service. Dr. King knew that the fight for justice and equality was connected to our collective service to those in need. Today, as we take time with our community and nation to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy, we also heed his call to action. At Philabundance,
Thank you for supporting Philabundance In 2021, those facing food insecurity throughout our region could count on Philabundance every day. We know that the tireless efforts of our supporters—the donors, volunteers, staff, and agency partners who make up our community—made that possible. Now, as we look toward the future, we’re
As we celebrate the holiday season, many of us want to spread hope and comfort to those who are struggling—but problems like hunger in our communities can often feel impossible. In times like these, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. Together, we can make an extraordinary impact. When
Our amazing team at the Philabundance Community Kitchen joined Good Day Philadelphia to share some holiday recipes. Watch this segment, courtesy of FOX29, featuring a cooking demo and the full recipes are below for your enjoyment. Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Butter & Sage Ingredients: 2-ea. Butternut Squash, peeled &
Anti-hunger advocates often talk about fighting hunger in their own backyards and Desireè La Marr-Murphy, a partner of Philabundance, took that call to action literally. After seeing rising hunger rates in her community due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she began operating a food pantry, Murphy’s Giving Market, in the backyard
At Philabundance, and for families across the country, the holiday season is in full swing. And for those of us fortunate enough, the holidays are full of warm feelings—the return of gatherings and celebrations and the opportunity to come together with loved ones. But, we know all too well that
The Full Plate Society represents some of Philabundance’s most generous philanthropic leaders, committed to our mission to drive hunger from our communities today and to end hunger for good. These members, who contribute $1,000 or more annually, make up just 6 percent of Philabundance’s individual donors, but account for
If you have ever volunteered at the Philabundance Hunger Relief Center in South Philadelphia, chances are you have had the pleasure of meeting Damien Douglas. And if you have met Damien, the chances are great that you will return to volunteer again. Damien is the Philabundance repack supervisor. His job