Craig Newmark’s Generosity Addressing Veteran Food Insecurity Head-on
Craig Newmark Philanthropies (CNP) is continuing to address food insecurity for veterans. We wanted to share two of the many stories made possible by CNP funding.
Greater Miami Valley MyVeteran Community
The Greater Miami Valley MyVeteran Community knew they wanted to help veterans struggling with food insecurity during the pandemic. They decided to work with local organizations to tackle the issue, but realized they needed funding assistance to make a difference. “We reached out to the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) and we applied for a grant specifically for food insecurity for veterans,” Cassie Barlow, Project Coordinator of Greater Miami Valley MyVeteran Community said. According to Barlow, the funding helps the collaborative support the Dayton Foodbank, which is on-site at a Veterans Affairs center. The Craig Newmark Foundation enabled BWF to provide this support at a critical time for Barlow’s organization. The funds “really changed the way that we’re going to operate the VA pantry.”
Mental Health America of Los Angeles
People experiencing homeless face significant barriers to accessing food and have a higher risk of experiencing long-term food insecurity than the general population. With the support of Craig Newmark Philanthropies, the Bob Woodruff Foundation is helping increase veterans’ access to healthy food today, and in the long term. Mental Health America of Los Angeles (MHALA) works to meet the needs of Los Angeles County Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. But access to housing is only one component of MHALA’s approach. Through a recent grant from the Bob Woodruff Foundation, MHALA provided grocery store gift cards to 348 veterans and their families in emergency and permanent supportive housing, helping them access nutritious groceries during COVID-19. This funding was an important complement to MHALA’s housing assistance program, ensuring that veterans’ nutritional needs were met as they worked towards long-term housing stability.
