Food banks respond to Hurricane Sandy

With Hurricane Sandy one week behind us, Feeding America member food banks in the northeast are still struggling with spotty communications, fuel shortages and dropping temperatures which are forcing more people into shelters and warming centers. While the power is coming back on for several food banks, many are still running on generators.  

So far, 73 tractor-trailer truckloads--or 2.2 million pounds--of food and grocery items have been donated through Feeding America to support those food banks in the disaster region.   In addition, about $684,000 has been raised for the recovery effort from additional partners including Walmart, PepsiCo, General Mills, Hasbro, and United.

Feeding America is not as well known as some other disaster relief organizatons, but has had some good attention paid to their work this week.  The Feeding America network has been mentioned “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “CBS This Morning,” as well as in The Huffington Post, Morning Call, Chicago Tribune, UPI.com. The Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Countiesin New Jersey was highlighted on “The Chew”  and The New York Times will be publishing an article about food banks role in disaster relief in next week’s Giving Section.