BNY Mellon Grant Announcement
BOSTON – (Sept. 23, 2013) Food rescue Lovin’ Spoonfuls has received a $35,000 grant from the BNY Mellon Charitable Giving Program through the Arthur F. Blanchard Trust to help launch a nutrition education program for the nonprofit organization’s partners.
The year-long pilot program aims to connect the farmers, chefs and food industry professionals that partner with Lovin’ Spoonfuls to the staff and clients at the soup kitchens and food pantries that receive rescued food. Activities will include food preparation workshops with local chefs, nutrition seminars featuring farmers and grocers, and recipe cards for food pantry clients.
“This program will extend Lovin’ Spoonfuls’ existing food rescue efforts and allow us to engage our partners in a more meaningful way,” said Ashley Stanley, Founder and Executive Director of Lovin’ Spoonfuls. “Our goal is to foster an open dialogue about food, nutrition and health. We want to create a deeper connection between the food industry, our nonprofit partner organizations and the individuals and families who consume the fresh food that we rescue every day.”
Since 2010, Lovin’ Spoonfuls has rescued and distributed more than 750,000 pounds of fresh food to various organizations in the area and has fed tens of thousands of area residents. Through programs funded by the BNY Mellon grant, soup kitchen teams at partner organizations will be able to try out new recipes and cooking techniques, while food pantry staff will receive informational cards about donations of lesser-known types of produce, such as kohlrabi, kale and fiddleheads.
The new program also will provide seminars featuring guest speakers from Lovin’ Spoonfuls’ farm and grocery store partners to increase food literacy and inspire healthier meals. Lovin’ Spoonfuls also will create cards with recipe ideas, food storage tips and nutritional information that food pantry staff can distribute to clients.
“Even though the food insecurity rate in Massachusetts is slightly lower than the national average, 20 percent of people in Boston are food insecure and only approximately 27 percent of adults state-wide get the daily amounts of fruits and vegetables recommended by the USDA,” said Joanne Jaxtimer, BNY Mellon Regional Executive. “The services and training provided by Lovin’ Spoonfuls help fill that gap. Our grant will enable them to provide nutritious meals to even more Boston families and support their efforts to reduce the Commonwealth’s food waste footprint.”
About BNY Mellon
BNY Mellon is a global investments company dedicated to helping its clients manage and service their financial assets throughout the investment lifecycle. Powering Potential, the company’s philanthropic focus, makes local communities better places to live and work by targeting organizations focused on workforce development or basic needs. Learn more about Powering Potential or the company’s world-wide commitment to social responsibility at www.bnymellon.com/csr.
The BNY Mellon Charitable Giving Program awards grants through a competitive application and review process and is funded through the generosity of BNY Mellon and the Arthur F. Blanchard Trust, along with seven other charitable trusts. As trustee of these trusts, BNY Mellon acts as a fiduciary and makes discretionary distributions to charities.