Feeding America Announces $1.25 Million Donation From Nationwide Insurance

CHICAGO, May 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief organization, announced today that the Nationwide Insurance Foundation donated $1.25 million to support their mission to fight hunger in America. The donation will help feed families across the country and help provide millions of pieces of fruits and vegetables for families in need.

The funds, which are part of Nationwide's continued commitment to fighting hunger, will support Feeding America's national office and 19 member food banks throughout the country. A portion of the funds will also be used to support Feeding America's National Produce Program, a nationwide initiative to increase the amount of fresh foods distributed to the more than 200 member food banks and their 61,000 partner agencies within the Feeding America network. Last year alone, the National Produce Program secured more than 800 million pounds of fruit and vegetables on behalf of food banks.

"We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with Nationwide in helping to fight hunger in our communities," said Bob Aiken, president and CEO of Feeding America. "Nationwide's funding will help us feed the 37 million people in the United States who rely on Feeding America food banks for help. We know that hunger exists in every community, so we are grateful for partners like Nationwide in helping us provide for those in need."

The funding comes at an increasingly critical time. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are more than 50 million people in the United States who live at risk of hunger, including nearly 17 million children.

"At Nationwide, our mission is to support the communities where we live and work when it matters most," said Chad Jester, president of the Nationwide Insurance Foundation. "So it's our pleasure to partner with Feeding America, an organization with an outstanding track record of providing one of life's most basic necessities. We believe that we can do more together than we can alone."

In addition to Nationwide Insurance Foundation's financial support, thousands of Nationwide associates donate to food drives and volunteer at food banks across the country each year. Through a coordinated volunteer network spanning over a decade, Nationwide associates have donated more than 18 million meals. In 2012 alone, Nationwide agents and associates donated more than 2.8 million meals to Feeding America member food banks.

Feeding America food banks receiving funds from the Nationwide donation include:  Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, Akron, OH; Atlanta Community Food Bank, Atlanta, GA; Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Network, Verona, VA; Bread of the Mighty Food Bank, Gainesville, FL.; Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Harrisburg, PA; Feedmore, Richmond, VA; Cleveland Foodbank, Cleveland, OH; Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, Raleigh, NC; Food Bank of Iowa, Des Moines, IA; Food Bank of Lincoln, Lincoln, NE; Food Bank of the Rockies, Denver, CO.; Maryland Food Bank, Baltimore, MD; Mid-Ohio Foodbank, Columbus, OH; Mid-South Food Bank, Memphis, TN; New Hampshire Food Bank, Manchester, NH; Philabundance, Philadelphia, PA; San Antonio Food Bank, San Antonio, TX; Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, Nashville, TN; and St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance, Phoenix, AZ.

About Feeding America

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

About the Nationwide Insurance Foundation

The Nationwide Insurance Foundation is an independent corporation funded by contributions from Nationwide companies. Founded in 1959, the Nationwide Insurance Foundation has committed more than $310 million since 2000 to help nonprofit organizations in communities where Nationwide customers, associates, agents and their families live and work. Just as Nationwide supports its customers in their moment of need, the company's involvement in its home communities is focused on supporting organizations that help people facing critical or immediate need. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com/corporatecitizenship

Media Contact: 
Lucio Guerrero  
Feeding America
312.629.7219

SOURCE Feeding America