United Way of Bucks County announced 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 2000, 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.
“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,” said Tim Philpot, Bucks Knocks Out Hunger project manager.
The Morrisville-based Ivins Outreach Center began a new program to help COVID-impacted households earlier in 2020. It utilizes community volunteers to make home deliveries of food to seniors and families in need. Ivins quickly found that meeting the need would require more resources.
“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,” said Darletta Berry-Johnson, executive director of the Ivins Outreach Center.
Ivins Outreach Center has received $19,000 in COVID Recovery Grant funding through 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.
Visit uwbucks.org for more information.
