Starbucks Provides Equitable Food Access Grant to Feeding South Florida

Feeding South Florida Receives $100K Equitable Food Access Grant from Starbucks to Address Food Insecurity in BIPOC Communities

Pembroke Park, FL (July 27, 2021) Feeding South Florida received a $100,000 equitable food access grant from Starbucks to help increase access to nutritious food among households with individuals who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) residing in communities experiencing high food insecurity rates in South Florida. Feeding South Florida will use this grant to engage local communities to better understand the barriers to accessing food and will support new or expand existing interventions that can help overcome these obstacles.

“As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 1 in 8 individuals in South Florida may face hunger,” says Paco Velez, President and CEO of Feeding South Florida. “We are proud to work with Starbucks toward our shared goals of addressing the root causes of hunger. With this grant, we’ll be able to continue to identify and address racial disparities in our communities.”

Using a gap analysis and innovative technology that measures output in real time, Feeding South Florida will ensure equity in food access in high-need areas of support. Through our network of partner agencies, school pantries and mobile pantries, will improve food access and address the root causes of hunger and poverty.

“For the last 50 years and still today, Starbucks believes it is our role and responsibility to help strengthen the communities we serve, and in partnership with Feeding America, we are tackling hunger with a focus on equity,” said Camille Hymes, vice president of community impact at Starbucks. “The equitable food access grants are a unique opportunity to combine efforts with our Community Stores across the country, which are specifically designed to support historically under-resourced communities through local partnerships and economic opportunity, to increase access to nutritious meals for those that need it most.”

Feeding South Florida, a member of the Feeding America® network, is one of 16 food banks to receive this funding from Starbucks. Feeding South Florida was identified based on the location of a Starbucks Community Store which are committed to economic development and opportunity in historically under-resourced communities. Since 2016, Starbucks has helped to provide more than 27 million meals* to people facing hunger through its FoodShare program in partnership with Feeding America. The company has also invested $2.69 million in mobile pantry programs across the country since 2019.