The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
The Franklin Food Bank recently received a $15,000 grant from Bank of America.
The grant will help the Franklin Food Bank further its mission of serving neighbors in need, while improving economic mobility in greater Somerset County. Between 2022 and 2023, the Franklin Food Bank saw a 35 percent increase in families visiting its market, and an increase in distribution from 2.2 million pounds of food in 2022 to more than 2.7 million pounds in 2023.
“In 2024, we continue to see a significant increase of our neighbors in need,” Food Bank Executive Director Derek Smith said in a press release about the grant. “Even though we are three years past the first COVID outbreak, the current economic climate, specifically soaring rent and grocery prices, is hitting low and middle-income families the hardest, but we are doing our very best to meet this challenge head-on.”
“We appreciate B of A’s generous support and continued investment in our community,” he said in the release.
The Franklin Food Bank is the only agency providing comprehensive food assistance programming
to the residents of Franklin Township. The grant is part of Bank of America’s philanthropic giving efforts in local communities. Awardees were selected for their commitment to addressing the needs of the community, including housing, neighborhood revitalization, and small business resiliency.
“By supporting the Franklin Food Bank to provide food to those in need, we can take steps
toward eradicating hunger across New Jersey,” Alberto Garofalo, president, Bank of
America New Jersey, said in the release. “When we invest in non-profits like the Franklin Food Bank, we
demonstrate our dedication to building thriving communities.”
