BJ's Wholesale Club Announces $100,000 Grant to The Greater Boston Food Bank

BJ's Wholesale Club has announced a $100,000 donation from the BJ's Charitable Foundation to The Greater Boston Food Bank, a Feeding America member food bank. The donation will help fund The Greater Boston Food Bank's program to expand its partner agencies' capacity to distribute fresh, healthy food to families in need across Eastern Massachusetts.

The Greater Boston Food Bank is one of nine food banks to benefit from BJ's Charitable Foundation's $1 million donation to Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. BJ's $1 million donation to Feeding America is the foundation's largest single donation to any organization to date.

"BJ's is bringing a fresh approach to nourishing communities and helping families thrive, and we're proud to support The Greater Boston Food Bank," says Kirk Saville, executive director of the BJ's Charitable Foundation. "No one should have to worry about where to get their next meal, and we know that food banks face challenges in storing and distributing perishable foods. Our strategic partnership with Feeding America is focused on building capacity for fresh food at local food banks so we can work together to put an end to hunger in our communities."

Last year, The Greater Boston Food Bank distributed more than 48 million healthy meals through its network of 530 partner food pantries, meal programs and shelters in 190 cities and towns throughout Eastern Massachusetts. Nearly 30 percent of the food GBFB distributes is fresh fruits and vegetables, and half is perishable including eggs, milk, juice, and meat.

BJ's $100,000 grant to GBFB's capacity program will help 10 of its partner food pantries purchase walk-in refrigerators and freezers, commercial-size refrigerators and freezers, and refrigerated vehicles. With these assets, the food bank's partners will have the basic equipment necessary to safely store and distribute perishable foods, specifically fresh produce, to their clients in need.

"One in ten people in Eastern Massachusetts struggles on a day-to-day basis to have enough healthy food to eat; one in eight is a child," says Catherine D'Amato, president and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank. "With BJ's generous donation, GBFB will be able to expand capacity throughout our network, enabling us to grow the volume of healthy foods we distribute and helping us to end hunger here."

Since 2009, BJ's has provided ongoing support to Feeding America through the BJ's Charitable Foundation and BJ's Feeding Communities program, helping local food banks successfully expand their programs to reach wider and more diverse audiences.

In addition to capacity building grants from the BJ's Charitable Foundation, BJ's has secured over 50 million pounds of donated food, including fresh produce, frozen meats and fish, baked goods and dairy items through the BJ's Feeding Communities program.