Food Bank of P.R. distributes $815K to 64 entities fighting hunger
The Food Bank of Puerto Rico, the nonprofit organization that supplies more than 125 organizations affiliated with its programs and is dedicated to mitigating hunger in Puerto Rico, reached three decades serving the island by distributing $815,000 among 64 of its partner organizations.
The disbursements were possible thanks to a donation from the David Tepper Charitable Foundation — Appaloosa LP, private organizations committed to fighting hunger through food banks located in the eastern United States and to contribute financially in areas affected by natural disasters.
After a rigorous process by an evaluation committee, the Food Bank of Puerto Rico received the donation that was split among 64 local affiliated entities. The Food Bank seeks to strengthen the nonprofits, so they continue to mitigate hunger in Puerto Rico among the needy, the sick, the elderly and families with children living in poverty, executives said.
“Last year, the Bank helped distribute more than 18 million pounds of food, 12 million meals served, impacting 2 million people,” said Denise L. Santos, president of the Food Bank of Puerto Rico.
“We have fed vulnerable communities during three catastrophic hurricanes that have hit our island in the last three decades: Hugo, Georges and María. But hunger is not limited to atmospheric phenomena; It’s an everyday problem.”
A fundamental part of the nonprofit’s 30-year celebration is to generate awareness about hunger and how it affects Puerto Rico.
“More than half of Puerto Ricans live under poverty levels in a spectrum that ranges from the elderly to students and children,” Santos said. “This irrefutable reality is very difficult to accept for many sectors that live clinging to the idea that ‘nobody in Puerto Rico is hungry.’ Well, we say yes, there are thousands who go hungry, and that is why our mission is so firm and crucial for our island.”
