The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts is proud to announce that we are one of 30 food banks to be awarded grants this September from BJ’s Charitable Foundation. The foundation is distributing grants in celebration of BJ’s Wholesale Club’s 30th anniversary. As a member of the Feeding America network, The Food Bank is among those awarded gifts to increase the food storage capacity for local anti-hunger organizations.
We will utilize the $21,000 grant award to provide 8 local partner agencies with 5 needed refrigerators and 5 freezers. This increase in capacity will allow these agencies to distribute an increase of approximately 90,000 pounds of food over a nine month period.
“We are thrilled to have been awarded one of the 30th anniversary grants by BJ’s Charitable Foundation,” said Andrew Morehouse, Executive Director at The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. “This grant will allow us to support our local partners in the emergency food network, and help them distribute more healthy food to our neighbors in need.”
The agencies receiving the awards include:
- Gray House, Springfield
- Greater Love Church of God, Springfield
- Holy Redeemer Cathedral, Springfield
- Iglesia El Dios Incomparable, Holyoke
- Mission Center New Jerusalem, Chicopee
- Martin Luther King Family Services, Springfield
- Spring of Hope Church of God in Christ, Springfield
- St. John’s Congregational Church Food Pantry, Springfield
While food banks often have space and storage to provide product for the food pantries and shelters they support, these smaller partner organizations and charities usually have limited equipment abilities, potentially hindering them from meeting the full need of their community. By providing anti-hunger partners like food pantries, shelters and meal programs with the necessary equipment, they can transport and store a larger amount of perishable items and thus distribute more food to local families struggling with food insecurity.
“BJ’s Wholesale Club is proud to reach our 30-year milestone and share our enthusiasm by expanding our role in the fight against hunger,” said John Kane of BJ’s Wholesale Club in Chicopee. “Supporting The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and their local agencies’ need for capacity building will ensure that perishable food can reach the people who need it most in our own backyard.”