Leading Anti-Hunger Organization Announces Nearly $2.5 Million Investment in 52 Partners across the U.S., Indian Country, and Israel

LOS ANGELES, July 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the country begins to emerge from the pandemic, a leading anti-hunger organization is investing nearly $2.5 million in efforts in the United States and Israel to stem the tide in persistent food insecurity that was exacerbated by pandemic-related shutdowns. The newest round of partnership grants from MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger increases its five-year total giving through its Emerging Advocacy Fund to more than $6.4 million.

MAZON's investments within the United States prioritize partners in states with the highest food insecurity in an effort to build and maintain a movement to end hunger. The partnership grants distributed through MAZON's Emerging Advocacy Fund are structured to build staff capacity at anti-hunger organizations throughout the country, helping to advance long-term solutions to hunger in America.

"We are witnessing an inflection point for the hunger crisis in the United States and around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic nearly doubled the number of people within the United States facing food insecurity, and local organizations on the front lines of emergency food assistance must also work for sustainable solutions," said Abby J. Leibman, President and CEO of MAZON. "Since its founding in 1985, MAZON has been committed to addressing food insecurity in the United States through policy change. We are particularly proud of the pioneering role we've played in helping to build a strong and resilient anti-hunger advocacy infrastructure in diverse regions across the United States. MAZON is proud to lift up and empower local organizations in 13 of the 15 most food-insecure states in the country, and we look forward to partnering with these organizations in our fight for the structural change we need to end hunger in our communities."

Recognizing the unique needs of people experiencing hunger within Tribal communities, MAZON also invests directly in partners within Indian Country.

"MAZON is proud to partner with and learn from the organizations strengthening food security and sovereignty in Indian Country," said Mia Hubbard, MAZON's Vice President of Programs. "We are committed to our shared goals of building more tribal self-determination and equity into government food programs, as well as advancing policies that ensure the health, wellbeing, and autonomy of Tribes. As Tribal Nations reclaim greater control over their food and agricultural systems and advance their own vision for food security, we are honored to leverage our resources with our grantee partners to provide this important support."

In Israel, MAZON's investments focus on partners working to increase awareness of hunger and create the systems needed to respond to specific challenges of people experiencing food insecurity in Israel.

"Over a quarter of Israel's population faces food insecurity daily, which is why MAZON is proud to strengthen the Israeli anti-hunger policy network," said Ishai Menuchin, MAZON's Israel Director. "The 14 grantees that MAZON is partnering with will build the political will we need to make sure that no one in Israel goes to bed hungry."

Recipients of MAZON's Emerging Advocacy Fund grants include:

• Alabama Arise, (Montgomery, Ala.)
• Alabama Food Bank Association, (Huntsville, Ala.)
• Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, (Little Rock, Ark.)
• Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, (Little Rock, Ark.)
• Center for Rural Affairs, (Lyons, Neb.)
• Children's Action Alliance, (Phoenix, Ariz.)
• Feeding Indiana's Hungry, (Indianapolis, Ind.)
• Feeding Kentucky, (Frankfort, Ky.)
• Feeding Louisiana, (Baton Rouge, La.)
• Food Justice Lab/ West Virginia University Research Corp., (Morgantown, W.Va.)
• Good Shepherd Food Bank, (Auburn, Maine)
• Hunger-Free Oklahoma, (Tulsa, Okla.)
• Indy Hunger Network, (Indianapolis, Ind.)
• Kansas Action for Children, (Topeka, Kan.)
• Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, (Lawrence, Kan.)
• Kentucky Center for Economic Policy / Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, (Berea, Ky.)
• Kentucky Equal Justice Center, (Lexington, Ky.)
• Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (Nashville, Tenn.)
• Louisiana Budget Project, (Baton Rouge, La.)
• Mississippi Center for Justice, (Jackson, Miss.)
• Missouri Budget Project, (St. Louis, Mo.)
• MomsRising, (Raleigh, N.C.)
• Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law & Public Interest, (Lincoln, Neb.)
• North Carolina Alliance for Health, (Raleigh, N.C.)
• North Carolina Justice Center, (Raleigh, N.C.)
• Oklahoma Policy Institute, (Tulsa, Okla.)
• Open Sky Policy Institute, (Lincoln, Neb.)
• Operation Food Search, (St. Louis, Mo.)
• Preble Street, (Portland, Maine)
• Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi, (Flowood, Miss.)
• Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
• Tennessee Justice Center, (Nashville, Tenn.)
• West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, (Charleston, W.Va.)
• West Virginia Healthy Kids and Families Coalition, (Charleston, W.Va.)
• William E. Morris Institute for Justice, (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Recipients of MAZON's Indian Country grants include:

• Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative, (Fayetteville, Ark.)
• Intertribal Agriculture Council, (Billings, Mont.)
• Native Food and Nutrition Resource Alliance, (Los Alamos, N.M.)

Recipients of MAZON's grants in Israel include:

• Adalah, Haifa
• Adva Center, Tel Aviv
• Israel Social TV, Tel Aviv
• Jerusalem Food Rescuers, Jerusalem
• Latet, Tel Aviv
• Leket Israel, Ra'anana
• Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality, Omer
• Pitchon Lev, Rishon Lezion
• Rabbis for Human Rights, Jerusalem
• Sidreh, Omer
• Sikkuy, Jerusalem
• Solidarity Film Festival, Tel Aviv
• 121 Engine for Social Change, Tel Aviv
• 972 Advancement of Citizen Journalism, Tel Aviv-Jaffa

About MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger:
Inspired by Jewish values and ideals, MAZON is a national advocacy organization working to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States and Israel. For more information on MAZON, please visit mazon.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Julia Friedmann, West End Strategy Team
[email protected]; 202.702.3302

SOURCE MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger

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