$50,000 Challenge Match Met and Exceeded

Community Food Bank Continues to Raise Funds to Provide Food Assistance During COVID-19 Crisis

In May 2020, Suncoast Credit Union donated $50,000 toward the Community Food Bank’s (CFB) COVID-19 relief efforts and encouraged the community to match their donation. The numbers are in and we are proud to announce that the match challenge raised a total of $182,786.

The challenge was exceeded thanks to an anonymous $50,000 donor and numerous other individuals who stepped up to the plate to make contributions.

“Since COVID-19, the need for food assistance has significantly escalated,” explains Barbara Sprague, Executive Director of CFB. “The CFB is so grateful to everyone in the community who has come together to help us help families in need.  We could not do what we do without the support of corporate and individual donors and volunteers who continue to help us fulfill our mission.”

The original $50,000 from Suncoast Credit Union provided 400,000 meals.  The matching contributions provided an additional 1,062,288 meals.  In total, the campaign initiated by Suncoast Credit Union allowed the CFB to provide 1,462,288 meals to local families in need.

According to Sprague, prior to COVID-19, the CFB distributed food to provide meals to approximately 17,000 people each month through 52 partnering agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, ministries, etc.) Since the onset of COVID-19, that number has increased to more than 50,000 people being served each month.

“I’ve served on the Board of Directors for the CFB for seven years and we have never faced such a sharp increase in demand for food,” says Mike Orlito, Board Chair. “We have been able to meet that demand thanks to the support and generosity of the community.”

If you would like to help the CFB continue to meet the growing need for food assistance, please click here to donate online or mail a check to Community Food Bank – 5259 W Cardinal Street Building B, Homosassa, FL 34446.