Feeding San Diego’s School Pantry Program Addressing Childhood Hunger Receives $150,000 Grant From Prebys Foundation
Funds will support the longstanding program that directly alleviates childhood hunger by providing nutritious food to families at local schools across San Diego County
Feeding San Diego, the county’s leading hunger-relief and food rescue organization, is honored to be one of 147 grant recipients awarded by Prebys Foundation. The non-profit has received a $150,000 grant to help fund its School Pantry Program, which operates in partnership with about 40 schools across the county – there is a waitlist of additional schools that would like to participate. Funds from this grant will go towards the operating cost of existing pantries.
According to Feeding America, there are nearly 80,000 children facing hunger in San Diego County. The School Pantry Program alleviates childhood hunger by providing nutritious food to children, youth, and their families at no cost onsite at local schools, ensuring consistent, reliable access to healthy food on a dependable schedule at familiar locations. Typically held twice a month and run by school staff or parents, school pantries use spaces on campus such as auditoriums or parking lots to provide this resource. The program was recognized as part of Prebys’ four distinct program areas, falling under the area of ‘youth success.’
The School Pantry Program is a longstanding program and is the non-profit’s largest hunger-relief program for children. Hunger negatively affects children’s physical and mental health, and causes of childhood hunger continue to exist in San Diego County. This includes low family incomes and lack of affordable housing.
“Our team is energized by this recognition from Prebys yet again and incredibly grateful to have been awarded a grant this year, particularly as inflation continues to impact both non-profits and the people we serve,” said Ali Colbran, director of development at Feeding San Diego. “Youth success could not be a more fitting way to describe the School Pantry Program. We know that access to nutritious food is absolutely vital to raising children to support their health, development, and well-being. The School Pantry Program helps thousands of families throughout San Diego County have the food they need.”
Prebys is the largest independent private foundation in San Diego County and works to create an inclusive, equitable, and dynamic future for all San Diegans. This month, Prebys awarded $30.6 million in grants to advance the arts, support youth success, improve health outcomes, and reduce disparities in medical research across San Diego County. These 147 grants create an inclusive, equitable, and dynamic future for all and are going to community-based organizations across the region: Central, North, East, and South County.
“Our communities are better thanks to the work of Feeding San Diego,” said Grant Oliphant, CEO of Prebys Foundation. “This is why we are proud to invest $150,000 to their work advancing our shared vision for a vibrant and thriving region. We encourage others to support, learn more, and celebrate their work.”
For more information on Prebys or the grantees, visit www.prebysfdn.org. For more information on the School Pantry Program, visit www.feedingsandiego.org/our-programs/school-pantry.
