The Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley announced that it was awarded a $75,000 grant from the Morgan Stanley Foundation.
According to a news release, the grant will help the food bank expand food choices for children and rural communities in Cameron and Willacy counties through partner agencies and program sites, including healthy options as well as access to foods aligned with preferences and dietary requirements.
“Now in its second year, this national grant is focused on increasing access to a variety of nutritious foods by addressing barriers that families face in their communities and enhancing their experience through choice,” the release read. “The funds will provide a unique opportunity for Food Bank RGV to explore increasing choice in food distribution models in the RGV while maintaining COVID-19 health and safety protocols.”
Local families have faced a significant uptick in food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly rural communities and communities of color. The same news release said that one in two children living in rural areas of the Rio Grande Valley face hunger.
The grant will give the food bank an opportunity to expand its food selection while making food distribution sites “client choices.”
“This grant will help us bridge the gap between food insecurity and access, and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to access nutritious food regardless of where they live,” Food Bank RGV CEO Libby A. Saenz said in the news release.
The Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley is a member of Feeding America, which aims to support member food banks by pinpointing ways to engage those who may be experiencing food insecurity. The organization also plans to engage in a formal evaluation process to better understand how increasing choice affects children and their families.
“The Morgan Stanley Foundation has been dedicated for over half a century to ensuring children receive a healthy start to life, and we’re proud to support the Feeding America network to offer increased choice to families experiencing food insecurity,” Joan Steinberg, Managing Director, Global Head of Philanthropy at Morgan Stanley, said in the release.
“Millions of people experience food insecurity in the United States, which has only been exacerbated by the pandemic, and we are pleased to work with Feeding America to help fight hunger and support children and families in innovative ways,” she continued.
Morgan Stanley has provided more than $41.7 million to Feeding America over the last decade, which has been used to support hunger-relief programs that deliver food assistance and healthy meals to children and families across the country.
For more information about the Food Bank RGV and how to help, visit foodbankrgv.com.
