Inspiring Others to Give
Neil Steinberg (center), President & CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, presents $100,000 to the Food Bank.
Sparked by a recent report that food prices are rising three times faster than wages, the Rhode Island Foundation today announced a $100,000 donation to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and challenged Rhode Islanders to pitch in during this time of extraordinary need.
Pictured in photo (left to right): Nayda Sanchez and Angelo Garcia with the Segue Institute; Neil Steinberg, President & CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation; Andrew Schiff, CEO of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank; and Kimberly Fernandez with Federal Hill House.
“Our goal is not just to address the alarming increase in hunger in our state, but to hopefully to provide leadership and to inspire Rhode Islanders to assist their favorite charities as well as to help people in need as we enter the winter months,” said Neil D. Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO.
You can make a gift to support
the work of the Food Bank.
Segue parent & volunteer Nayda Sanchez and Executive Director Angelo Garcia discuss the challenges facing families in their community.
The announcement comes as proposed federal cuts to safety net programs threaten to overwhelm the state’s straining food pantries, which are already near capacity. According to the Food Bank’s 2018 Report on Hunger, food prices have grown three times faster than wages since 2015.
“We are so thankful to the Rhode Island Foundation for once again stepping up to address food insecurity,” said Andrew Schiff, the Food Bank’s CEO.
The donation is among the largest the organization has received this year, according to Food Bank officials. The money will help the Food Bank acquire more than 300,000 pounds of food– enough to provide an additional 372,000 meals.
“With this gift, we’ll be able to deliver more food to our member agencies so that they can provide assistance to working families who are struggling to make ends meet,” said Schiff.
Assisting Agencies Around the State
Federal Hill House Executive Director Kimberly Fernandez talks with Andrew Schiff and Neil Steinberg about the need she sees at her agency.
The Food Bank will work with soup kitchens, senior centers and food pantries across the state to get the food into the hands of Rhode Islanders. The Segue Institute for Learning in Central Falls is among the agencies that will benefit from the Foundation’s grant.
“We all know that children cannot learn when they are hungry. The pantry at Segue is critical in helping students achieve academic success and we appreciate this support from the Foundation to provide additional food for the Food Bank and member agencies like ours.” said Angelo Garcia, Founder and Executive Director of the Segue Institute.
The grant will enable the Food Bank to purchase staples such as baked beans, rice, tomato soup, canned carrots, corn and peas; and fresh produce for its member agencies to distribute to needy Rhode Islanders through food pantries at sites like Federal Hill House in Providence.
“Even though the economy is improving, we’re actually seeing an increase in the number of guests seeking food assistance at both of our pantries,” said Kimberly Fernandez, Executive Director of Federal Hill House. “These funds from the Foundation to the Food Bank will help our agency access more healthy, nutritious food to meet the need.”
About the Rhode Island Foundation
The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. Working with generous and visionary donors, the Foundation raised $38 million and awarded $43 million in grants to organizations addressing the state’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities in 2017. Through leadership, fundraising and grant making activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential.
