America's Second Harvest Helps Feed Tornado Ravaged Communities
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and America’s Second Harvest Bring Emergency Food to Communities throughout the Region
CHICAGO --- February 7, 2008 --- America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network is providing food and grocery products to communities hit by devastating tornadoes yesterday in Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi. In addition to the many deaths and injuries that have been reported, thousands of people have been left without power and with only limited access to food.
“While we are currently doing damage assessment to determine where help is needed, we know that there will be a tremendous need for support in the towns that were hit, “said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of America’s Second Harvest—The Nation’s Food Bank Network. “Our food banks through the affected region are working closely with state and local emergency management agencies, our non-governmental partners in disaster relief, and their local social service agency partners to identify the need for food, cleaning supplies, diapers and personal care products in their local communities.”
The Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee has been able to lend its resources and the unique “cook/chill method” production capability of the food bank for disaster relief efforts. The cook/chill prepared meals allow the food bank to cook the entire meal and flash-freeze it so that it can easily be re-heated in a mobile or temporary kitchen. This method is allowing the food bank to support two American Red Cross shelters in the area with nutritious and easy to prepare lunches and dinners feeding 400 people. Additionally, the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is working with donor partners Kroger, Food Lion, Target and Armour to provide emergency food boxes for Fairfield schoolchildren, participating in a backpack program, who have been impacted by the tornados.
“Generous grants from the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation in recent years have allowed us to provide training to our Member food banks on disaster relief and partnership development both locally and nationally,” said Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of America’s Second Harvest. “While immediate needs are still under assessment, our food banks in these states know that if needed, they will have the full support and resources of our nationwide network of 205 food banks and our national corporate partners to help their communities recover.”
The organization was first involved with disaster relief in 1989 following Hurricane Hugo and the Loma Pieta earthquake that struck San Francisco and the Central California Coast. Since then, The America's Second Harvest Network has taken an active role in recovery efforts following major disasters and is a member of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD).
America’s Second Harvest provides support to areas affected by disaster by securing food and grocery product and transporting it to people in need. Financial support is critical to ensuring the America’s Second Harvest Network is able to respond to disasters including these tornadoes and other events that happen around the country.
To support the national office visit www.secondharvest.org or call 800-771-2303.
America's Second Harvest — The Nation's Food Bank Network, is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the country with a Network of more than 200 Member food banks and food-rescue organizations serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The America's Second Harvest Network secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually; and supports approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies operating more than 94,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs and Kids Cafes. Last year, the America's Second Harvest Network provided food assistance to more than 25 million hungry people in the United States, including 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors. For more information, please visit www.secondharvest.org.
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Contact:
Ross Fraser
312.641.6422
