Five Milestones You Helped Us Reach in 2017

Until recently, Aileen rarely got to enjoy some of her favorite foods. A simple lunch – such as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich – may have been out of reach for Aileen because her family simply couldn’t afford it. Aileen’s father worked hard day and night as a painter, but it just wasn’t enough.

Everything changed after Aileen’s family learned about their local food pantry. Now they don’t have to worry about where their next meal will come from or if their cupboards will be empty. Instead they feel relief knowing that because of the food pantry, they will have meals no matter what happens.

You make it possible for families like Aileen’s to have full bellies and peace of mind. As this new year begins, we reflect on the great work we were able to do last year, thanks to your support.

Here are some of Feeding America’s top achievements from 2017:

#1

Feeding America helped provide 4.2 billion meals – more than any other U.S. hunger-relief organization and more than we’ve ever distributed in a single year.

#2

Approximately 72 billion pounds of perfectly good food is wasted in America each year. Feeding America rescued more than 3 billion pounds of food and helped put it on the tables of families in need.

#3

Food banks need support from lawmakers to meet the immense need for meals across the United States. Last year, we contacted members of Congress and the public to rally them around promising anti-hunger policies. More than 100,000 actions were taken in response to help fight hunger.

#4

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly food stamps, helps low-income families stretch their grocery budgets further and purchase items they might not be able to afford otherwise—such as fresh produce, dairy and protein-rich foods. Last year, our SNAP application assistance program enabled more than 225 million meals by helping people in need complete SNAP applications.

#5

Feeding America provides grants to food banks throughout the nation, directing funds where they are needed most and where the investments will have the greatest impact. Last year, we distributed an unprecedented $56 million in grants. These grants helped the Feeding America network overcome barriers and invest in promising solutions to better serve their communities.