Bucks Knocks Out Hunger grant supports home delivery of food to vulnerable residents in Bucks County
United Way of Bucks County today announces a grant to help Ivins Outreach Center expand a program delivering food and meals to residents at high-risk for COVID-19.
Funds are through Bucks Knocks Out Hunger, the local United Way’s signature anti-hunger initiative. In 2020, Bucks Knocks Out Hunger exceeded its fundraising goal, making additional community support possible. United Way is focusing funds on assisting those who can’t access existing hunger relief sites like Fresh Connect or their local food pantry.
Tim Philpot, Bucks Knocks Out Hunger Project Manager, says “Not only has the number of people who need help with food tripled since March, but the pandemic has also created many risks and barriers for those who need help to get to hunger relief sites.”
The Morrisville-based Ivins Outreach Center began a new program to help COVID-impacted households earlier in 2020. They utilize community volunteers to make home deliveries of food to seniors and families in need. They quickly found that meeting the need would require more resources.
Darletta Berry-Johnson, Executive Director of the Ivins Outreach Center says, “These families were already at risk for food insecurity and the COVID 19 pandemic just exacerbated their plight. The BKO Hunger grant from the United Way of Bucks County is important because it provides the help we need to continue assisting vulnerable seniors and food-insecure households in Lower Bucks County.”
Ivins Outreach Center has received $19,000 in COVID Recovery Grant funding though United Way to assist with the program. With additional grant revenue, IOC will expand the number of vulnerable seniors and food insecure families – referred by school nurses, churches, and other service providers – from 240 to 360 households within the Lower Bucks County area.