America's Food Fund

Here’s the problem:

Food insecurity in America is growing rapidly.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 37 million people struggled to know where their next meal might come from on a daily basis. Now, that number is rising exponentially.  
 
Our most vulnerable populations — children who are out of school and rely on school lunch programs, low-income families, the elderly, and individuals facing job disruptions — face great barriers to receiving safe and consistent access to meals.  

The goal of America’s Food Fund — launched by Leonardo DiCaprio, Laurene Powell Jobs and Apple, along with the Ford Foundation — is to help ensure that all people have reliable access to food. 

We have an opportunity to come together to support our neighbors in this critical time of need. 

Here's who we're working with: 


These organizations are on the front lines of this rapid-response effort, however, they are facing new challenges every day: 

- Responding to the vast number of people impacted who are in need of food
- Food supply-chain disruptions, and access to product
- Distributing meals in ways that maintain the health and safety of all involved
- Access to enough volunteers

World Central Kitchen

World Central Kitchen has been at the forefront of urgently providing meals to people in need in the wake of disasters around the world. Led by world-renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés, WCK’s #ChefsForAmerica COVID-19 Response team is working in dozens of cities across America to safely distribute as many as 200,000 fresh meals daily to communities in need—at hubs including schools, community centers, healthcare facilities, senior centers, and directly to first responders. WCK has also committed to buying 1 million meals from restaurants to help meet the demand for food relief, and to provide jobs in the hard-hit restaurant industry.

Feeding America

Feeding America is the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, serving more than 40 million Americans annually through its network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, with a presence in every community in the United States. Its COVID-19 Response Fund was launched to help member food banks secure the resources they need to continue operations, while modifying their distribution methods in accordance with health and safety regulations during a time of surging demand. It is working with government leaders to ensure that waivers and flexibility are allowed around regulations; partnering with school districts and local governments to get food to kids in need; building an inventory of emergency food boxes for food banks; and providing grants to local food banks.

Save the Children U.S.

Some 30 million children rely on school meals. Now, children are missing the nutritious breakfasts, lunches and even dinners served at school. Nearly 90% of counties with high child food insecurity rates are rural. Save the Children is working to ensure children across rural America have the food they need. Save the Children is helping prepare and deliver meals and supporting districts to ensure school feeding programs continue to serve children, especially in the most remote areas. A national leader in early childhood education, Save the Children is also providing free books, educational materials and more to keep young brains growing. To date, Save the Children has helped distribute more than 1 million meals to kids in rural America.

No Kid Hungry

No Kid Hungry is responding quickly to COVID-19 by providing emergency grants to schools, food banks, and community groups across the US, funneling resources to hard-hit communities and connecting families with free meals via its Free Meal Finder Map. No Kid Hungry also successfully urged Congress to release emergency SNAP funds for low-income families and continues to push for a strong response from federal, state and local lawmakers and agencies. No Kid Hungry is evolving its response to meet communities’ changing needs and removing obstacles to get kids the meals they need. 

Urban School Food Alliance

Urban School Food Alliance is the hub for data-informed decision making for directional changes in school food purchasing. In response to COVID-19, the Alliance is supporting school meal services in adapting to meet community needs for regular, reliable, free, and nutritious food. Their Student Emergency Food Access Fund supports 12 member districts distributing hundreds of thousands of meals, whose are not eligible for reimbursement from federal aid. The Alliance is also advocating for a broader solution to streamline processes for all districts in the US.  

In addition to these beneficiaries, AFF will also continue to coordinate with partners like Project Isaiah and Revolution Foods who are delivering food to children and families in need. 

Here’s how you can help:

If you are in a position to contribute and you have the means to take action, we hope you will donate today.  No dollar amount is too small. 

100% of donations (less the 2.9% and $0.30 per donation transaction fee) will go directly to these organizations as they continue to coordinate, mobilize, and distribute meals to those impacted by COVID-19.  

We are monitoring this growing and increased need, and are prepared to continue to support these organizations, as well as others who are responding to food insecurity in our nation. We recognize this need is great and believe that nobody should be without food.

Thank you for your consideration.

This fund would complement, not replace government funding, and could not be used for expenses that are clearly reimbursable through the USDA, state, or local funds.

Perspective from our Partners 

“In times of need, a plate of food is both vital nourishment and a message of hope from the community, that we care and we’re here to make sure that tomorrow, things will be better. Now more than ever – for our frontline heroes, our most vulnerable neighbors, and our out-of-work restaurant workers – WCK is prepared to make sure that food is part of the solution.”
- José Andrés, Founder, World Central Kitchen

“On behalf of Feeding America, I would like to thank Leonardo DiCaprio, Laurene Powell Jobs, and Tim Cook for their generosity and support, which will help our network of food banks provide food and other resources to communities impacted by this crisis. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 37 million people in this country did not have consistent access to nutritious meals – including 11 million children and 5.5 million seniors.  These numbers are quickly rising, and it is critical that we rally together as a nation to support our neighbors during this time of great need.”
- Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO, Feeding America

“Schools have become community emergency feeding sites, and every one of these schools that has their doors open are literally heroes on the front line. We must do all we can to support the schools and their employees so they can keep doing what they do best—giving kids access to reliable and nutritious meals every day.” 
- Dr. Katie Wilson, Urban School Food Alliance Executive Director
 
“Save the Children is committed to keeping kids’ bellies full and minds growing across rural America in the wake of COVID-19 and these long-term school closures. We are incredibly grateful to Leonardo DiCaprio, Laurene Powell Jobs and Apple, along with the Ford Foundation, for launching America’s Food Fund and in awe of the generosity of countless individuals to support our neighbors and communities in this unprecedented time. We’re better together – and America’s children need us now more than ever.”
- Mark Shriver, Senior Vice President of U.S. Programs & Advocacy, Save the Children 

We are working with GoFundMe.org (a 501c3 non-profit organization, EIN # 81-2279757, registered in the United States) to manage donations. All donations made on this page will be held by GoFundMe.org for the purpose of distributing such contributions to World Central Kitchen, Feeding America, and and other similar organizations and businesses in support of their efforts to aid those affected by COVID-19, subject to the variance power of GoFundMe.org, as stated in its policies. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

By donating to this campaign, you agree to GoFundMe sharing your name and email with the beneficiary organizations (EU Donors excluded).