Paychex addresses hunger, physical health with a donation to Foodlink  

Foodlink will receive a $200,000 grant from the Paychex Charitable Foundation to support its mission of ending hunger and building healthier communities across its 10-county service area in the Rochester and Finger Lakes region. 

The gift is part of a $1 million grant from the Paychex Charitable Foundation to the national hunger relief organization Feeding America. 

The grant allocates $250,000 annually over four years to support local food banks that deliver equitable access to nutritious food in key markets where Paychex has a high concentration of employees and clients, including Rochester, which is home of the company’s corporate headquarters. 

“At Paychex, we believe that successful local economies start with vibrant communities,” said John Gibson, Paychex president and CEO. “Foodlink’s 40-year history in the Greater Rochester area has made the organization a critical part of our community, and we look forward to seeing how this significant investment can help expand their impact.” 

Foodlink is a member of Feeding America’s national network and provides safe storage and emergency distribution services to a network of food pantries and community partners.  

Last year, Foodlink hosted 285 pop-up pantries and served nearly 850,000 lunches through the Foodlink Community Kitchen. 

In addition to the financial gift from the Paychex Charitable Foundation, Paychex will also be seeking opportunities to engage its more than 5,000 local employees as a volunteer network to help advance Foodlink’s commitment in the fight against hunger and poverty. 

“Foodlink would like to thank the Paychex Charitable Foundation for this grant and for their continuous support in helping us leverage the power of food to end hunger and build healthier communities,” said Julia Tedesco, Foodlink president & CEO. “At a time when need is soaring across our region, this support will directly result in more food on the table for families who are struggling to make ends meet.” 

This is the second major gift from the Paychex Charitable Foundation within its strategic giving framework focused on well-being, addressing mental health, physical health, financial health and professional skills development.  

In March, Paychex announced a $1 million gift to Mental Health America to support mental and emotional well-being.  

The gift to Feeding America addresses the second focus area on physical health.  

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