Farms to Food Banks
Our home State of New York and the boroughs of New York City have disproportionately borne the economic, health, and social welfare brunt of COVID-19. Many New Yorkers are very sick, out of work, have depleted their savings, and are in dire need of feeding their families. Food banks are overwhelmed, undersupplied and are forced to turn families away empty handed, leaving them on the brink of starvation.
At the same time, farmers are having their vegetable crops go to waste as restaurants are closed and supply chains have broken down. There is more than enough food, but it is not in the right places.
This is a problem that we can help solve together, right now. And we invite you to help.
We are mobilizing a bootstrapped effort to transport food from farmers to food banks in the NY area.
One of the poorest districts in New York City is in the South Bronx. East Side House Settlement serves this community. Executive Director Daniel Diaz informed us that they need food to feed more than 5,000 families in his community immediately.
What we have done so far:
Procured the produce
We purchased a full trailer load of 43,000 pounds of pre-washed and boxed potatoes from Cranney Farms storage facility in Idaho at wholesale pricing.
Donated Transportation
SOAR Transportation Group, a refrigerated trucking company based in Salt Lake City Utah has donated THREE full trailer deliveries. Our first trailer loaded up 4.19.20 and will arrive in the Bronx on 4.24.20.
In short, in addition to the funds raised on this GoFundMe, we accomplished:
- An additional $8,650 raised to buy food and counting
- An additional $5,000 grant from the Rotary Club of New York
- A 43,000 pound truckload of donated food
- Donation of three SOAR’s refrigerated trucks with drivers and fuel costs
- Hundreds of people and four organizations mobilized
- Over 2,000 PPE masks and gloves for the unloaders and volunteers to wear
- 2,000 families of four will be fed for 20 days
But this isn’t enough. There are more families throughout New York who are being turned away from food banks empty handed because the shelves are bare. We need your help to connect these families with surplus foods.
Make a tax-deductible donation today to fund the purchase of gas, driver wages and food to be transported to our neighbors in need.
Thank you so much for your support.
The Farms to Food Banks Co-Founders
John Botti
Christina Clark
Jon Lloyd-Jones
Chang Kim
Marc Kramer
Bill Mehleisen
Chris Weeks
Eric Wittenberg
Press enquiries contact [email redacted] or DM on Twitter through @farms2foodbanks.
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