Bank of America and Feeding America announced today that the bank will provide a 2-for-1 match of donations to Feeding America's holiday"Give a Meal" program. Through this match, individuals and customers will be able to triple the impact of their donations and provide meals to people in need.
This is the third year that the bank has partnered with Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief organization. Bank of America is the exclusive sponsor of the Give a Meal program this holiday season and will be joined by celebrity chef, author and television host Rocco DiSpirito, who will serve as the campaign's spokesman and raise visibility about hunger in our communities and the simple ways people can help.
"Hurricane Sandy has given us all a dramatic reminder that emergencies can occur anywhere at any time," said Kerry Sullivan, president of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation."For people who don't have enough food to eat, every day is a reminder of the acute need for assistance. By supporting the Give a Meal program, we can all help address the pervasive hunger rates and growing demand for food assistance across the United States, in both large and small communities."
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation will contribute $2 for every $1 donated via feedingamerica.org/bankofamerica, up to a total match of $1.5 million. The bank will also contribute an additional $1 million to Feeding America's national office, and bank employees will participate in more than 300 hunger-related volunteer efforts around the country.
The program was a resounding success last year providing the financial equivalent of more than 26 million meals. The need for hunger relief continues to be great this year. According to the US Department of Agriculture, 50.1 million people in the United States are struggling with hunger. Of that number, 16.7 million are children.
"We are grateful for the support of Bank of America and their generous offer to provide a two for one match," said Matt Knott, interim president and CEO of Feeding America. "With one in five families in our country in danger of not knowing where their next meal is coming from, the epidemic of hunger is something that we can't solve alone. Together with Bank of America and its customers, we can bring hope to people this holiday season."
To help promote the campaign, DiSpirito will participate in a volunteer event in conjunction with a local food bank and urge his fans to get involved and donate to the cause.
"Through the work I do on the Now Eat This Truck, I see firsthand the challenges many families face in getting food on the table. The Give a Meal Program and the generous match from Bank of America provide an easy way for people to help those in need this holiday season," said DiSpirito.
A running counter will be displayed on the Give a Meal webpage to tally the number of meals that have been donated during the campaign to date.
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About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.3 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on X.com.
Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy
Building on a long-standing tradition of investing in the communities it serves, Bank of America this year embarked on a new, ten-year goal to donate $2 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving the health and vitality of their neighborhoods. Funded by Bank of America, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation gave more than $200 million in 2008, making the bank the most generous financial institution in the world and the second largest donor of all U.S. corporations in cash contributions. Bank of America approaches investing through a national strategy called "neighborhood excellence" under which it works with local leaders to identify and meet the most pressing needs of individual communities. Bank associate volunteers contributed more than 900,000 hours in 2008 to enhance the quality of life in their communities nationwide. For more information about Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy, please visit www.bankofamerica.com/foundation.