According to data from Feeding America, the number of food insecure people in the Kansas City region has risen by nearly 80,000 individuals since the start of the pandemic.
To combat food insecurity, Bank of America in Kansas City supported several organizations that provide meals and other nutritional resources to needy community members by distributing more than $500,000 in grants. Jewish Family Services was among the recipients.
The grant from Bank of America enabled JFS to increase food inventory for clients through its food pantry. The food pantry has served 1,200 families since the beginning of the pandemic, with 900 families receiving food in October alone, and the number continues to grow. Food pantry clients also are assessed for other services, including career skills and connections, chaplaincy, family life education, counseling and mental health services, and older adult services, such as in-home repairs, tech support and transportation.
“I truly do not know where I would be without my friends at Jewish Family Services,” says JFS client Charryse Berry. “I can say that given the situation I found myself in, there was a very real possibility that I was headed toward living in a shelter. Through Jewish Family Services, I am so grateful to feel hopeful for a much brighter future.”
“While we have faced many challenges together before, we know that many Kansas City families are struggling and that the uncertainty of the last year can make it increasingly difficult to develop lasting sustainability,” says Matt Linski, Kansas City Market President, Bank of America. “Support to our partner organizations from Bank of America allows our community and clients to be better served, no matter the trials they may face.”
Bank of America has devoted $100 million in philanthropic grants across the over 90 markets it serves.