The Global FoodBanking Network announces US$800,000 in grants to tackle global hunger through food banking

LONDON, March 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) announced today a total of US$800,000 in grants for food banking organizations across the globe through the Zero Hunger Food Bank Challenge. 

The grants - made possible by a generous contribution from the General Mills Foundation and additional funding provided by the PIMCO Foundation – aim to strengthen food banks' contribution to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 2 – which is to eliminate global hunger by 2030. 

An estimated 821 million^[1] people—one in nine—go hungry, while 1.3 billion^[2] tonnes of edible food is wasted. The grants will be awarded to nine food bank organizations in Africa, South and Central America and Australia to help sustain and grow their food banking models to alleviate hunger and reduce waste.

GFN is an international non-profit organization that strengthens food banks in more than 30 countries. The organization plays a vital role in redirecting surplus, wholesome food to the hungry and reducing food insecurity in nations and communities around the world.

Lisa Moon, GFN President and CEO, said: "Tackling food waste and world hunger are two of the most pressing issues facing global communities today. These grants will go directly to organizations on the frontline, helping them scale operations, ultimately helping more people over the next year. The grants will range from US$40,000 to US$100,000, making this the largest distribution of funds since GFN's inception in 2006, which is a sign of the increasing focus placed on hunger and food waste around the world."

The grants were announced at the GFN Food Bank Leadership Institute (FBLI), the annual international conference for food bank leaders now in its 13^th year. The three-day event featured panel discussions on tackling hunger and food waste with key note addresses from Tesco CEO, Dave Lewis and 2018 World Food Prize Laureate, Lawrence Haddad.

Nicola Dixon, Executive Director, General Mills Foundation, a funder and partner of GFN said: "When it comes to addressing world hunger and making the global food system more sustainable, few philanthropic investments have a greater impact than food banks. With investments like this one, we aim to ensure that good surplus food can increasingly be used to nourish hungry people, rather than go to landfills. That's why General Mills has philanthropically invested €17.6 million (US$20 million) since 2010 to expand food bank capacity around the world – food banks that enabled 3.8 billion meals for hungry people last year leveraging good surplus food."

Organizations awarded grants include Foodbank Australia - Northern Territory, to help expand the food bank's service area to include rural communities and hard-to-reach indigenous populations, and Banco de Alimentos Panama, to develop a program that increases the recovery of fresh produce to enhance the nutritional servings delivered to hungry people. Additionally, food bank organizations in Argentina, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Peru and South Africa will receive funding to expand, establish and increase food bank operation and feed more people facing hunger.

About The Global FoodBanking Network

The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) is an international non-profit organization based in Chicago that nourishes the world's hungry through launching and strengthening food banks in more than 30 countries. GFN focuses on combating hunger and preventing food waste by providing expertise, directing resources, sharing knowledge and developing connections that increase efficiency, ensure food safety and reach more people facing hunger. Last year, GFN member food banks rescued and redirected food to more than 9 million people facing hunger.

About General Mills

General Mills is a leading global food company that serves the world by making food people love. Its brands include Cheerios, Annie's, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills generated fiscal 2018 proforma net sales of US$17.0 billion, including US$1.3 billion from Blue Buffalo. In addition, General Mills' share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totalled US$1.1 billion.

Full List of 2019 grant recipients              

• Red Argentina de Bancos de Alimentos, Argentina - To build capacity of the food sourcing and fundraising functions of the national network and better support member food banks through compliance audits and training.
• Foodbank Australia - Northern Territory, Australia - To expand the food bank's service area to include rural communities and hard-to-reach indigenous populations.
• Banco de Alimentos Quito, Ecuador - To increase the quantity of food sourced and improve efficiencies and capacity within the warehouse.
• Banco de Alimentos Diakonia, Ecuador - To increase the quantity of food sourced and improve efficiencies and capacity within the warehouse.
• Banco de Alimentos de Honduras - To increase the quantity of food, and diversify the food sourced and distributed by establishing cold chain capabilities at BAH's three logistics centers.
• Bancos de Alimentos de Mexico - To equip food banks in five cities with cold chain and provide food sourcing training to all food banks in the Mexican network.
• Banco de Alimentos Panama - To establish a food bank location in the central market of Panama City to increase the recovery of fruits and vegetables.
• Banco de Alimentos Peru - To establish a food bank location in the central market of Lima that will enable the distribution of an increased amount of recovered fruits and vegetables.
• FoodForwardSA, South Africa - To expand its agricultural recovery program, specifically in Durban.

Sources

^[1] FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018: Building Climate Resilience for Food Security and Nutrition (Rome: FAO, 2018).

^[2] FAO, Global Food Losses and Food Waste: Extent, Causes and Prevention (Rome: FAO, 2011).

SOURCE The Global FoodBanking Network