America's Second Harvest Distributes Thousands of Pounds of Food for Disaster Relief

America's Second Harvest
Thursday, 20 September 2001

America's Second Harvest, the national network of food banks and food-rescue organizations, is part of the national disaster response team that moved into action just hours after the terrorist strikes occurred September 11. As the largest domestic hunger-relief charity, America's Second Harvest is working hard to sort, process and distribute the millions of pounds of food, water and other products that have already been donated to rescue workers and victims in New York and Washington, D.C.

Getting those donations to the hungry people working at or displaced by the site of last week's terrorist attack has been a daunting task. According to disaster experts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the city of New York, work is expected to continue in lower Manhattan for up to six months. America's Second Harvest is committed to providing logistical and food assistance as long as it's needed.

"We received nearly 250 offers of food and product from our network of food banks and food rescue organizations to help our fellow Americans. In addition, hundreds of truck-loads from generous Americans including food and consumer product manufacturers have been shipped into the affected areas," said America's Second Harvest Vice President of Operations, Martha Pickett.

America's Second Harvest and its affiliates have been inundated with offers of donated food and product to assist the disaster victims and rescue workers in New York City and Washington, DC. The Community Food Bank of New Jerseey is currently processing hundreds of truckloads of donations for use by recovery workers and displaced families in lower Manhattan

Working with the Red Cross and Salvation Army, America's Second Harvest, through our affiliate food bank in New York City, Food for Survival, and our affiliate food-rescue organization, City Harvest, is supplying relief workers and feeding centers with food and water.

The Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, DC is helping Pentagon survivors. Our network will continue to work in coming days and weeks with these organizations, as well as FEMA and other members of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD).

Transportation is one of the most critical needs in times of disaster, and also one of the most costly. Cash contributions are being accepted at secondharvest.org or by mail at America's Second Harvest, 35 E. Wacker, Suite 2000, Chicago, Ill. These donations will allow America's Second Harvest to ship the generous donations collected across the country to its affiliates in the neighboring areas of NY, DC, CT, MD, VA and NJ.

For more information, or to contact America's Second Harvest, see their website at: www.secondharvest.org