$100,000 Siemens Foundation Donation to Help Provide Meals in Central Florida

The Siemens Foundation, through its partnership with Feeding America, recently announced a donation of $100,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida to address the growing need to fight hunger in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. With these funds, the Orlando-based food bank is able to provide more meals to the Orlando community, home to the U.S. headquarters for Siemens Energy, Inc.

This donation is a part of a larger national effort by the Siemens Foundation, to provide six million meals* to people in need in Atlanta, Chicago, Malvern, PA, Orlando, Sacramento, and Washington, DC.

“Siemens has called the Orlando area home for more than three decades, with longstanding partnerships in the community,” said Tim Holt, member of the Siemens Foundation Board of Directors and Executive Board member and Labor Director at Siemens Energy. “This donation in our community represents the Siemens Foundation’s commitment to supporting families and individuals in need where we work and live.”

Unemployment and the need for food assistance has soared in the wake of the pandemic. According to Feeding America, across the United States, more than 42 million people may face hunger because of coronavirus, including a potential 13 million children. Food insecurity is not an isolated issue, however, Americans financially impacted by the pandemic are having to choose between paying their mortgage or rent, critical medicine, childcare, and putting food on the table.   

Aligned with its mission to close the opportunity gap in America, the Siemens Foundation worked closely with Feeding America to provide support to local member food banks that  serve people in need. 

“We are so grateful for the longstanding partnership with Siemens to fight hunger throughout Central Florida,” said Dan Samuels, Director of Philanthropy at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. “Since the start of the pandemic, Second Harvest has had to double the amount of food we distribute on a daily basis to keep up with the need. It’s donations like this one from the Siemens Foundation that make these relief efforts possible.”

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida provides food to those in need across 6 counties, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Brevard, and Volusia. For nearly a year, Second Harvest has been distributing enough food for 300,000 meals a day – double pre-pandemic operation levels. Second Harvest estimates that 40% of the people seeking food assistance at mobile distributions are doing so for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to typical distribution methods through food pantries and drive-up mobile distributions, Second Harvest has also created innovative solutions to fight hunger this year. These include Bring Hope Home, a home delivery service, as well as meal boxes being delivered directly to the hardest-hit communities. It is estimated that one in six Central Floridians is at risk of facing hunger right now.