KINDERHOOK– In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Hannaford Supermarkets is donating $750,000 to numerous hunger relief and homeless outreach organizations throughout the Northeast as they work to support some of the most at-risk members of the community during the pandemic.
The health crisis and related economic impact are creating unprecedented demand for food assistance, resulting in operational disruptions and significant new costs for the agencies that provide emergency meals. In addition, individuals who rely solely on pantries and shelters – or who live on the street – face particular risk of contracting and spreading the virus because they have no home to shelter within.
Hannaford’s donation includes a total commitment of $550,000 to food banks in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and Massachusetts. This includes $300,000 in new funds, in addition to a recently announced $250,000 donation to the food banks.
They also donated a total of $200,000 to organizations that work with homeless people. The donation will be used to help create social distance among these individuals, while helping them to meet the most-basic needs of survival and staying healthy amid the crisis.
“Every day, we are learning more about the impact of this virus and responding together as a community to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Hannaford President Mike Vail, in a press release. “Our company and our associates are working hard in our grocery stores to meet the most-basic needs of our community during this difficult time: food and medicine. We hope that this donation also will help the most-vulnerable of our neighbors meet their fundamental needs of staying fed and healthy, during this difficult time.”
New York organizations will receive $180,000. This includes $125,000 in donations announced today and recently announced donations of $50,000 for the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and $5,000 to Food Bank of Central New York, as outlined below:
–Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York: $120,000 (includes $50,000 previously announced). The Food Bank will utilize the funding to hire additional staff to help meet growing needs in their efforts to collect and distribute food to nearly 1,000 charitable agencies across 23 counties in New York;
–Homeless and Travelers Aid Society: $30,000. The Homeless and Travelers Aid Society (HATAS) provides shelter, food and clothing to homeless individuals, as well as long-term affordable housing and sustainable employment, in Albany County and the surrounding Capital Region. HATAS is currently working to move homeless individuals and families out of shelters and into temporary housing to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
–Salvation Army, Empire State Division: $25,000. The Salvation Army, Empire State Division provides a host of services to individuals and families with varying needs, including homelessness. The organization operates 43 homeless shelters across the state, including locations in Albany, Schenectady, Hudson and Kingston. The Salvation Army also provides emergency supplies and assistance, including a food pantry, food delivery and meal preparation sites, for homeless individuals.
–Food Bank of Central New York: $5,000 (previously announced).
Individuals who wish to make donations to support these organizations may do so online at:
Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York: https://regionalfoodbank.net/
Homeless and Travelers Aid Society: www.hatas.org
Salvation Army, Empire State Division: https://give.salvationarmy.org/give/278302/#!/donation/checkout
Food Bank of Central New York: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/foodbankcny
