Governor Doug Ducey announced $460,000 from the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund to support food banks throughout the state, especially rural communities. The Arizona Food Bank Network will disperse the funding. It will support mostly rural organizations that lack access to funding streams available in larger counties. In total, more than 40 organizations will receive funding.
Gov. Ducey established the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund in March 2020. The private donations help provide financial support to non-profit organizations serving Arizonans during COVID-19.
Requests for resources were reviewed and approved by an independent five-member committee working with Arizona’s philanthropic community. The fund received $10.1 million in private donations. With today’s grant awards, all funds have been dispersed.
One hundred percent of contributions have been directly distributed to organizations supporting Arizonans during the pandemic and recovery effort.
“Whether it has been funding PPE, meals for low-income families, technology for students, mental health support services, and more, the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund has been an invaluable resource for Arizonans as we’ve responded to the pandemic,” stated Ducey. “I’m overwhelmed by the generosity from so many, and thank all who’ve donated. My sincere thanks also goes out to the leaders who volunteered their time to serve on the relief fund committee. They stepped up at a critical time, putting in countless hours with the philanthropic community to understand where the highest needs were and distribute these resources. I am immensely grateful for their service.”
Angie Rodgers, president and CEO of the Arizona Food Bank Network, applauded the funding.
“For many families across our state, the economic disruptions of the pandemic are still causing hardships,” stated Rodgers. “Food banks are seeing the usual increased need around the holidays, and we expect this to continue through the winter months, which is why this funding couldn’t have come at a better time. We are grateful to the committee members for allocating these resources and for all the Arizonans who stepped up to help families in need.”
“We are so immensely thankful for these critical resources,” said Tony Bedolla, executive director at Bisbee Coalition for the Homeless. “Rural families face unique challenges without access to the same support services available in larger jurisdictions. These dollars will help us extend our services to even more families to help them through what’s still a difficult time for many.”
