Bank of America
Press Release
March 1, 2022
To help fight hunger in and around Jacksonville, Bank of America donated $100 for each bank employee who recorded a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot in addition to a company contribution
Jacksonville, Fla. – Bank of America announced a $325,000 donation, totaling 54,166 meals to Feeding Northeast Florida, to address food insecurity in the Northeast Florida region. In Duval County, 19% of residents are food insecure, higher than the state and national averages, according to Feeding Northeast Florida. As the pandemic continues, hunger relief organizations in Jacksonville and across the country are facing ongoing challenges, including increased demand for their services and rising food prices.
Bank of America is supporting its employees’ health and safety while addressing one of its local communities’ most critical needs. Earlier this year, the company announced it would make a $100 donation to local hunger relief organizations and food banks for each employee in Jacksonville who received a COVID-19 booster shot or vaccine and notified the bank before the end of January. The company made an additional contribution to address the increased need experienced by hunger relief organizations across the country. Since the onset of the pandemic, Bank of America has provided $688,855 in funding to Feeding Northeast Florida in support of local hunger relief efforts.
Feeding Northeast Florida provided more than 26 million meals in 2021 –– doubling pre-pandemic levels. One in seven people in the food bank’s eight-county service area, including one in five children, face some level of food insecurity. The food bank has worked tirelessly to secure food through local retailers, farmers, government programs and donations. Due to supply chain disruptions and other complications, the food bank has also purchased more food than ever before in order to help meet the increased needs in the communities they serve. Every $1 donated helps the organization provide six meals to the community. With help from the bank’s donation, Feeding Northeast Florida is providing more than 73,000 meals per day to individuals and families throughout the Greater Jacksonville area.
“We work to combat hunger every day, and we couldn’t do what we do without the help of wonderful partners like Bank of America,” said Susan King, President & CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida. “With the effects of the pandemic still reverberating through our economy and the need for support still elevated, we are so grateful for corporations that see the benefit in helping us fill the gap for our neighbors in need. People shouldn’t have to choose between feeding their families and meeting other basic needs, and with donations like these, we can continue to make a real difference for those in our eight-county service area.”
Nationally, the bank has committed $10.6 million dollars to food banks and hunger relief organizations through this effort. Since 2015, Bank of America has donated nearly $150 million toward hunger relief efforts.
“As the pandemic continues to impact Jacksonville, food banks and hunger relief organizations are experiencing increased demand and higher costs to meet the needs of individuals and families,” said Mark Bennett, President, Bank of America Jacksonville. “Our commitment to help strengthen the communities we live in and serve is unwavering, which is why we are investing in the health, safety and wellbeing of our teammates while also providing funds to help local organizations support our neighbors and fight food insecurity.”
Bank of America committed to donating a minimum of $25,000 in each of the company’s 93 markets to local nonprofit partners as part of its vaccine booster effort. Because vaccination boosters and reporting are voluntary and additional company contributions are reflected in the final amount, actual donation amounts differ from the number of boosters reported by bank employees.
The company has encouraged staff to get COVID-19 vaccinations since summer 2021 and has offered incentives such as paid time off and $500 credits toward health benefit premiums. In partnership with local nonprofits, Bank of America has also distributed more than 38 million masks, 41,000 cases of hand sanitizer and 11 million gloves in local communities as part of its ongoing efforts to address health-related disparities accelerated by the pandemic.
About Feeding Northeast Florida
Feeding Northeast Florida (FNEFL) is the region’s largest nonprofit (501c3) food bank and hunger relief network, aiming to improve the quality of life of the people of Northeast Florida by addressing food insecurity, poverty and poor health by providing nutritious foods and other essential goods to those in need. Alongside our network of food distribution, agency and community partners, Feeding Northeast Florida provides food and hope to help the more than 1 in 7 people living in our eight-county service area (Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns) who struggle to feed themselves and their families. Feeding Northeast Florida works daily to find solutions to address the issues of food insecurity and poverty through awareness, advocacy, education and action in ways that promote dignity, respect and empowerment. For more information, visit feedingnefl.org.
About Bank of America
At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).