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BofA awards All Faiths Food Bank $30,000 grant to support Mobile Pantry Program Funding from Bank of America to assist food bank in providing nutritious foods in underserved areas of need Contact Name: Sharon Kunkel Contact Email: [email protected] Contact Phone Number: 9419282049 SARASOTA, Fla. [January 3, 2024] – Bank of America recently granted $30,000 to All Faiths Food Bank (AFFB) to help provide nutritious foods to individuals in need within the Sarasota community. This is the tenth year Bank of America has provided funds to strengthen AFFB’s hunger relief efforts, with all grants totaling over $250,000. All Faiths Food Bank is the only food bank and largest hunger relief organization in Sarasota and DeSoto counties. AFFB provides millions of meals each year through robust programs and partnerships with hundreds of charitable organizations throughout the community. In addition to food distribution, AFFB operates a roster of innovative direct service programs that not only solve the immediate problem of hunger but also strive to end hunger by helping families and individuals to gain long-term food security, enjoy better health outcomes, and achieve self-sufficiency. The funding is designated for AFFB’s Mobile Pantry Program, which offers food distributions in the neighborhoods where hunger is greatest, reducing the barrier of transportation for individuals in need. Currently, AFFB operates a total of 32 Mobile Pantries, all located in high-need areas of Sarasota and DeSoto counties. Nine of the pantries are Mobile Farm Markets, which exclusively distribute fresh fruit and vegetables. “As All Faiths is the only food bank serving Sarasota and DeSoto counties, Mobile Pantries are central to reducing food insecurity in the households of our neighbors who are experiencing hunger,” said Denise Cotler, chief development officer, All Faiths Food Bank. “We are incredibly grateful for Bank of America and our other donors’ commitment to ending hunger and improving lives in the communities we serve.” AFFB is just one of 16 Sarasota/Manatee nonprofits the bank is supporting with economic mobility grants awarded to local nonprofits throughout the year, helping the bank drive meaningful and sustainable progress to help tackle society’s biggest challenges. “Working with All Faiths Food Bank to provide food to underserved neighborhoods is part of our commitment to fostering economic mobility and equitable progress,” said Erik Vatter, president, Bank of America Sarasota/Manatee. “Providing this funding demonstrates how we are taking steps to provide our community the essential resources and support needed to help people succeed in today’s economy for a better tomorrow.” For more about All Faiths Food Bank, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org. PHOTO AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST: Now-retired All Faiths Food Bank CEO Sandra Frank (center front) and director of philanthropy Rachel Bradley (right of Frank) with Bank of America team members (l-r) Jeff Crabtree, Ivan Richards, Kim Bleach, Jamie Kahns, Derek Ricker, Bank of America Sarasota/Manatee President Erik Vatter (holding the check), Andrew Zimmerman, Jilmmy Zevallos, Stephenie Whitfield and Rebecca Bryant About All Faiths Food Bank All Faiths Food Bank is the only food bank and largest hunger relief organization in Sarasota and DeSoto counties, providing millions of meals each year in collaboration with nearly 200 agencies and programs throughout the community. All Faiths works not only to end hunger today but also strives to end hunger - forever - by helping families and individuals gain long-term food security, enjoy better health outcomes, and achieve self-sufficiency. All Faiths is rated 4 stars by Charity Navigator and is a member of the Feeding America and Feeding Florida networks. For more information, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org. About Bank of America Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,900 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 57 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC). For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.