HARRISBURG, PA (September 10, 2021) – The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank today announced receipt of a generous grant from Conagra Brands Foundation to help provide food to children and families in need.  This significant grant will enable the Food Bank to increase its capacity to distribute food to its partners through the purchase of new pallet jacks and other essential warehouse equipment.  The gift will also help the Food Bank expand its Equity, Diversity and Inclusion programs to address inequities of hunger in communities of color.

“Hunger affects people from all walks of life in every county of the United States, including central Pennsylvania,” said Joe Arthur, executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.  “With the Conagra Brands Foundation’s commitment, we will be able to better serve children and families who may not know where they will find their next meal.”

Over the past year, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank has served more than 445,000 individuals through its network of 1,200 partner agencies and programs at the local level.  The Food Bank provided more than 57 million meals, 74 million pounds of food and 14 million pounds of fresh produce. The Conagra Brands Foundation grant will provide capacity improvements that will continue to help the Food Bank meet the increased demand it expects over the next two years.

One in nine people in central Pennsylvania face hunger. Conagra Brands Foundation has partnered with Feeding America®, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief organization, to help address this issue in communities where Conagra employees live and work.

Conagra locations in central Pennsylvania have partnered with the Food Bank for more than 20 years, with employees actively volunteering their time and supporting various events and initiatives such as Summer Feeding Programs for youth and the Bold Journey Capital Campaign that helped to expand the Food Bank’s Healthy Food Hub in Williamsport, PA.

New this year, Conagra Brands Foundation made an additional funding commitment to enable food banks to address racial and equity disparities in local communities.  COVID-19 shined a spotlight on the disproportionate impact hunger has on people of color and those who live in rural communities. These individuals and families have been hit harder with the health and economic consequences of the pandemic and studies show their recovery will take longer. Feeding America predicts more than 21 percent of Black Americans (1 in 5) will face food insecurity this year, compared to 1 in 9 white Americans. The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is committed to addressing these inequities in the months and years ahead and is working with its partners to make sure these communities have access to the nutritious food they need to lead healthy lives. The Conagra Brands Foundation grant will be an important component in this work.

“Families face hunger in every community across the country; your neighbor, child’s classmate or even coworker may be struggling to get enough nutritious food to eat on a regular basis. Sometimes families face very difficult and heartbreaking decisions such as having to choose between buying medicine, paying a light bill or purchasing food,” said Rick Lawson, plant manager at Conagra Brands’ Milton, PA facility. “Conagra is proud of our national partnership with Feeding America, including our local support of the dedicated team at Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.”

About Central Pennsylvania Food Bank
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to reduce hunger in 27 counties across Pennsylvania. By working with more than 1,200 local agencies and partner programs, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank serves thousands of people in need every month. For more information on the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and its mission to reduce hunger in Pennsylvania, visit centralpafoodbank.org or call 717-564-1700.

About Conagra Brands Foundation
Conagra Brands Foundation believes everyone has a right to healthy and nutritious food, while recognizing that food insecurity exists in every U.S. county. The Foundation partners with exceptional national and local nonprofits with high-impact programs located in the communities where we live and work. By focusing our efforts within five areas: Direct Food Access, Cooking Skills, Nutrition Education, Healthy and Active Lifestyles and Urban Agriculture, we are able to be a leader in the fight against food insecurity in North America. For more information visit https://conagrabrands.com/communitygiving.

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