IE food bank gets grant from Albertsons to provide meals to children

Feeding America Riverside San Bernardino has received a $60,000 grant from the Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions Foundation to fight hunger during the summer months and after school hours when children face higher rates of food insecurity, FARSB announced Tuesday.

The grant is part of the foundation’s Nourishing Neighbors Program and the Fight Hunger, Serve Hope initiative, which is affiliated with Albertsons’ brand O Organics, according to FARSB. The money will help fund FARSB’s Grab n’ Go program.

“We’re excited to partner with Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions Foundation to help improve nutrition among low-income children and families, especially during the summer and after school hours when they are most vulnerable,” FARSB CEO Carolyn Fajardo said in a statement. “Together with the Foundation, we’ll continue to tackle the ongoing food insecurity issues in our community.”

The Grab n’ Go program distributes monthly food boxes to school district sites in the Inland Empire, the FARSB announcement said. During the summer, the organization partners with four school districts in Hemet, Moreno Valley, Redlands and Rialto.

“This will make a larger impact in the community during summer break as many children who would normally have access to free meals on weekdays, have a higher rate of food insecurity,” according to FARSB.

“At Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions, we are committed to making a difference in the lives of children facing food insecurity, and we’re pleased to partner with FARSB to fund grants dedicated to providing healthy meals for at-risk youth throughout the summer,” Kevin Curry, Albertsons division president, said in a statement. “Nourishing Neighbors, together with partners like FARSB, is making our neighborhoods better for children in need.”

O Organics has donated $7 million this year to the Nourishing Neighbors Program to fund grants for school breakfasts, providing weekend breakfast food, backpack programs with food to take home, summer breakfast meals and other breakfast-oriented initiatives, according to FARSB. In 2023 the company donated $7 million to fund similar grants for at-risk youth.

The Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions Foundation, which is under the Albertsons Companies Foundation conglomerate, aims to eradicate hunger in America by keeping food banks stocked and supporting meal distribution programs at schools via the Nourishing Neighbors program. In 2023, the national Albertsons Companies Foundation contributed over $200 million in food and financial support, including more than $40 million through Nourishing Neighbors.

FARSB is the main food source for more than 250 nonprofits in the region, distributing over 2 million pounds of food each month to emergency pantries, soup kitchens, high-need elementary schools, senior centers, after-school programs and other groups, according to the food bank.

More information on FARSB is online at feedingie.org.