During its fifth annual Focus on Food month, the GSF Foundation (GSFF) accomplished a key impact milestone with the equivalent of 1.35 million meals donated this year to support food banks serving food-insecure children and families across the U.S. As school lunch programs go on hiatus in the summer months, food insecurity intensifies and demand for aid heightens. Anticipating this greater need, the GSF Foundation activated its volunteer-run and associate-funded local committees to make a difference in the quality of life of struggling children and families in their communities.
To ramp up hunger relief efforts among its 32 local committees this year, the GSF Foundation introduced a new “Get Curious, Get Involved” initiative and continued its annual matching food bank grant program that launched in 2020. Every local GSFF committee participated in this year’s Focus on Food program, positively impacting food bank outreach in communities nationwide through grant donations, volunteerism, and new partnership opportunities to help alleviate hunger.
"Together, with 100 percent engagement this year from all GSFF teams, we exceeded our goal of donating the equivalent of one million meals to benefit children and families facing increased food insecurity in the communities where we work and live," said John Page, GSF Foundation Chairman and CEO. "Thank you to our associates for your care and your generosity. Now, let’s not only get curious and get involved, but let’s continue our Focus on Food support by partnering with our local food banks to provide foodservice industry expertise and community leadership in service to those most in need."
Throughout the month of May, all 32 committees supported local 501(c)(3) food banks, resulting in a total of $258,000 in Focus on Food grants. Earlier this year, GSF’s Management Partners kicked off the program by donating over $100,000 in personal contributions to five Feeding America affiliate food banks. This year’s record participation brings the all-time Focus on Food impact to more than three million meals funded by GSF Foundation grants to local food banks supporting U.S. children and families.
In addition to grants, GSFF teams volunteer locally to sort, distribute, and harvest food donations. Continuing the company’s history of fighting hunger and meaningful connection to the cause as a leading foodservice industry supplier, GSF manufacturing, distribution, and functional support services associates also organize food drives and support food bank outreach activities in their communities.
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