Desert AIDS Project and FIND Food Bank receive two-year grants as Neighborhood Builders from Bank of America
Posted November 7th, 2011 – Press Releases
(PALM SPRINGS, CA – November 7, 2011)
Each year since 2004, the Neighborhood Builders grant program from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has been making monetary awards to two outstanding nonprofit organizations in each of 45 markets across the United States. Those awards in 2011 for the Inland Empire were made to Desert AIDS Project and FIND Food Bank (Food in Need of Distribution.) Each organization will receive $100,000 annually for two years, as well as leadership development programs for their senior executives and emerging leaders.
Committed to creating positive change in the places where its branches operate, Bank of America’s corporate philanthropy is driven by the belief that a healthy community is important to everyone. In total, Bank of America will contribute $200 million to address critical issues facing neighborhoods and communities across the U.S. during 2011.
“We are so grateful to Bank of America for this grant because while our current economy has made fundraising harder than ever, the need for basic services like medical care, food, and housing never goes away,” said David Brinkman, CEO of Desert AIDS Project. “If anything, community assistance organizations that help to build stronger, more closely-knit neighborhoods are more necessary than ever. In times like these, it becomes even more important for organizations like D.A.P. and FIND to help those in need.”
Operating under the philosophy that “food is medicine” for people living with HIV or AIDS, D.A.P. provides low-income clients with food vouchers redeemable at any Stater Brothers store, while also offering a monthly Farmers Market. Many of the items offered at the Farmers Market, such as fresh produce, bread, and other less shelf-stable products, are secured from FIND, either as a donation to D.A.P. or paid for with grant funding.
“For one in six Coachella Valley residents – and one in eight Americans – food insecurity is a daily issue. In fact, the majority of food insecure individuals currently being served by FIND are considered ‘working-poor families.’ This demographic represents minimum-wage working adults and low-income children who simply cannot make ends meet and often go with very limited food for several days a month,” says Lisa Houston, CEO of FIND Food Bank. “Working with D.A.P. and other social service organizations located throughout the Coachella Valley is a great way for FIND to continue to maintain service to 80,000+ individuals we help monthly to get the nutrition they need.”
FIND Food Bank is dedicated to mobilizing the resources of our community through education and awareness to relieve hunger. We envision our “food-insecure” clients obtaining nourishing food through channels that are not solely dependent on private sources, so that clients can learn to become self-sufficient while being mindful of healthy food choices. We also visualize a day when our proactive succession planning pays off to ensure future organizational sustainability and a hunger-free Coachella Valley. To learn more about FIND, please call 760-775-3663, visit www.findfoodbank.org or locate us on Facebook.
Desert AIDS Project serves people living with HIV and AIDS by providing comprehensive support, including medical care, case management, and social services, like food, housing, and counseling. D.A.P. also offers free and confidential HIV testing at a number of locations throughout the communities it serves. To learn more about Desert AIDS Project, please call 760-323-2118, visit www.desertaidsproject.org or find them on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube
[Pictured: Raul Bastillos, Vice President & Market Development Manager at Bank of America; Tammy Fox, D.A.P. Board Secretary; David Brinkman, CEO; Sue Knollenberg, Director of Resource Development]
