People in America are Turning to Their Local Food Banks and Google Search to Find Resources and Give Back This Holiday Season
Google.org is partnering with the Feeding America network of food banks and pantries across the country to help provide 50 million meals* and support technological advancements through $10M in funding.
Currently, 34 million people in the United States, including 9 million children, are facing food insecurity. Among Feeding America network food banks, 90% report an increased or sustained need over the last month. Food banks themselves face mounting headwinds as food donations decline and costs rise for freight, food purchase and every other aspect of operations. Google has seen this need reflected in national Google Search Trends. Every November Google sees a spike in searches for food support, but more than ever before, Americans are making searches around “food” and “prices” in 2022, with searches rising 45% since last year. On the flip side, Americans are also searching “how to give back” more than ever, with searches for “where to donate food near me” skyrocketing 850% over the past five years.
Google.org’s support will help Feeding America and local food banks build out technology solutions that promote greater community access and scaled impact. This type of work - streamlining inventory management, tracking how much nutritious food is being distributed - often takes a back burner even though it can be vital to ensuring that the right food gets to the right home at the right time.
“Addressing food insecurity requires a sustained and coordinated approach. We’re proud to partner with Feeding America to deliver over 50 million meals to people in need, and to work with them to strengthen their technology infrastructure,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. “We’re also making our products, like Search and Maps, more helpful to people searching for resources or ways to give back.”
“A solid technology infrastructure empowers our network food banks to get food to people who need it quickly and efficiently. Digital technology tools are utilized to source, collect, track and distribute food. Food banks also utilize systems to manage volunteers, neighbor registration, assistance with SNAP applications and so much more,” said Maryann Byrdak, Chief Information Officer at Feeding America. “All of this helps close the meal gap and ensure more of our neighbors facing hunger are accessing the meals they need to thrive. We are grateful for Google’s visionary support and partnership.”
Feeding America will be focused on improvements to their national operations MealConnect platform, an online platform and mobile application that connects community members with surplus food - from large retailers and farmers to small family-owned restaurants - with local food banks seeking donations. Google.org’s support will enable network food banks to equitably meet increased need for nutritious food while reducing supply chain friction and improving the experience of people served.
Guided by Feeding America's data and Google Search Trends, Google.org is enabling Feeding America to provide financial support to 32 local food banks whose service areas include more than 6.8 million people facing hunger.
Google.org is also donating $10 million in donated Search Ads to local food banks and pantries across the U.S. in order to connect them with people searching for resources or ways to give back.
Today's announcement builds on Feeding America's call together with partners to halve food insecurity overall and by race and place by 2030.
For more information about Feeding America’s efforts to bring food to people facing hunger, visit www.feedingamerica.org.
*$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local member food banks.
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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 Twitter.
About Google.org
Google.org, Google’s philanthropy, brings the best of Google to help solve some of humanity’s biggest challenges combining funding, innovation, and technical expertise to support underserved communities and provide opportunity for everyone. We engage nonprofits and social enterprises who make a significant impact on the communities they represent, and whose work has the potential to produce meaningful change. We want a better world, faster — and we believe in leveraging technology and applying scalable data-driven innovation to move the needle.
