SPRINGFIELD, IL (Aug. 15, 2019) — Central Illinois Foodbank announced today a $3,000 grant from The Darden Foundation to help provide hunger-relief to central and southern Illinois families. The funds will be used to procure approximately 12,000 pounds of fresh produce.
“Making sure that our neighbors have consistent access to nutritious foods, especially fresh produce, is a high priority for the Foodbank,” said Pam Molitoris, executive director of Central Illinois Foodbank. “We are grateful to The Darden Foundation for supporting our efforts to alleviate hunger in central and southern Illinois.”
Central Illinois Foodbank, a member of the Feeding America® network, is one of 193 food banks to receive this funding from The Darden Foundation. The Darden Foundation is committed to supporting families facing food insecurity in communities across the United States. Their commitment to help is demonstrated through their partnership with Feeding America and their network of 200 food banks across the nation.
Feeding America has worked alongside The Darden Foundation for seven years in the fight to end hunger. Thanks to their ongoing support, the Feeding America network has been able to help provide even more meals to families in need.
To learn more about Central Illinois Foodbank, visit www.centralilfoodbank.org.
# # #
About Central Illinois Foodbank
Central Illinois Foodbank, established in 1982, distributes 9 million pounds of food annually to over 160 food pantries, soup kitchens, residential programs and after-school programs in a 21-county region. Central Illinois Foodbank is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief organization. The mission of the Foodbank is to provide food, and develop awareness of and creative solutions for food insecurity.
About Darden Restaurants and The Darden Foundation
Darden is a restaurant company featuring a portfolio of differentiated brands that include Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze and Eddie V's. Our people equal our success, and we are proud to employ 185,000 team members in more than 1,700 restaurants. Together, we create memorable experiences for nearly 400 million guests each year in communities across North America. The Darden Foundation works to bring to life our spirit of service through its philanthropic support of charitable organizations across the country. Since 1995, The Darden Foundation has awarded more than $90 million in grants to non-profit organizations such as Feeding America, National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) and American Red Cross. For more information, please visit www.darden.com.