People in three communities will have more wholesome food choices this year thanks to a grant The Salvation Army Western Pennsylvania Division received recently for its Feeding Families for Life initiative.
The Bayer Fund awarded $40,000 to the social services organization, which plans to use it to make fresh produce, lean proteins and other healthy meal options readily available in Brackenridge, Greensburg and New Kensington.
Feeding Families for Life aims to make fresh, healthy food more accessible to families in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods and food deserts — urban areas where it is difficult to find affordable, good-quality fresh food.
The Bayer Fund is a philanthropic arm of the global healthcare and agricultural corporation, which has a pharmaceutical company in O'Hara and whose American headquarters were once in Robinson. Bayer is now based in New Jersey.
It awards grants for projects focused on food and nutrition, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, education and health and wellness to benefit those employees and customers living in communities surrounding its business locations.
The food and nutrition programs it supports targets underserved communities, rural communities and families with children under the age of 5.
With healthy food increasingly expensive, the grant came at the right time, said Major Gregory Hartshorn, divisional commander of The Salvation Army Western Pennsylvania Division in Carnegie.
“No one in our community should go without the nourishment they need to thrive,” he said as he thanked the Bayer Fund for helping the organization ensure families access to healthy food.
Bayer Fund President Al Mitchell said programs like Feeding Families for Life help combat the critical issue of food insecurity.
“We're proud to play a role helping even more people in our community have access to nutritious food,” he said.
Last year, the fund donated $30,000 toward the program, which was used to support the Love in a Backpack weekend feeding program, ensuring that 120 students at Nicely Elementary and Greensburg Middle School had healthy food options when they were not in school. The grant also enabled the Brackenridge Salvation Army location to prepare healthy food options for adults and youth on a weekly basis.
Additionally, volunteers from The Salvation Army and Bayer's local office helped build garden beds at the Salvation Army’s New Kensington location in May, providing vegetables year-round.
“It was a beautiful day that will have a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our neighbors in need,” said Lauren Brant, director of corporate engagement of The Salvation Army Western Pennsylvania Division, who was among the volunteers.
First Published: January 26, 2024, 10:30 a.m.
Updated: January 26, 2024, 6:15 p.m.