Foodlink to invest $1 million in food pantries, shelters

Velvet Spicer//April 21, 2021//

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Foodlink on Wednesday said it will phase out its drive-thru food distribution events in Monroe County next month while expanding its food-banking partnerships and capacity during the summer months.

To better support food-insecure households during the transition period, Foodlink has committed an additional $1 million in funding to its network of food pantries, community meal programs and shelters. Officials said generous public support in the last year allowed the nonprofit organization to allocate the additional funds to its network.

“Our drive-through food distribution model was a necessary and innovative emergency stopgap measure that has been central to Foodlink’s pandemic response,” said Foodlink President and CEO Julia Tedesco. “We’ve made the decision to pivot from this model and invest more resources in the network of community-based nonprofits that Foodlink has partnered with for decades to serve those in need. This network is not only equipped to respond to the food needs of clients across our area, but also to connect them to other critical social services and resources.”

Foodlink has coordinated more than 600 distributions in the last 400 days that have served roughly 180,000 households. Initial projections from Feeding America showed a rise in food insecurity by 45 percent in Foodlink’s service area, officials noted. The nation’s largest anti-hunger organization recently revised those metrics based on updated employment data, and now estimate the rise in food insecurity locally is closer to 25 percent.

“Although the outlook is improving for some, we know there’s still a significant need in our communities and we remain committed to helping people put food on the table every day while continuing to develop strategies that address the root causes of chronic food insecurity and poverty,” Tedesco said.

Foodlink plans to add members to its network in the coming months and continue its drive-thru distributions in rural areas within the 10 counties it serves. Community members can find more than 250 food access points by going to the “Find Food” map on Foodlink’s newly redesigned website, or by calling 211/Life Line.

“We want to thank 211 and the many community partners across Monroe County who stepped up to host our food distributions with us in the past 14 months – and the many volunteers who served our neighbors with dignity and respect during this challenging time,” Tedesco said.

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