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Bank of America announced a $115,000 donation – the equivalent of 230,000 meals – to the Maryland Food Bank (MFB) to address food insecurity in the region. An estimated 2 million Marylanders faced hunger in 2021, according to MFB’s Maryland’s Hunger Map analysis.
As the pandemic continues, hunger relief organizations in Maryland and nationwide are facing ongoing challenges such as increased demand for services and rising food prices. Bank of America is supporting its employees’ health and safety while addressing one of the local communities’ most critical needs.
Earlier this year, the company announced it would make a $100 donation to local hunger relief organizations and food banks for each employee in greater Maryland who received a COVID-19 booster shot or vaccine and notified the bank before the end of January.
Since the onset of the pandemic, Bank of America has provided an additional $565,000 in funding to the Maryland Food Bank in support of local hunger relief efforts. The bank also donated personal protective equipment—including thousands of gloves, masks and bottles of hand sanitizer—which were distributed to MFB’s statewide network of community organizations for use by families and citizens relying on the nonprofit’s services.
The Maryland Food Bank estimates that 39% of Maryland households face food insecurity. For every $1 donated, the organization can provide two meals to the community. With help from the bank’s donation, the Maryland Food Bank can provide 230,000 meals to individuals and families throughout 21 Maryland counties and Baltimore city.
Bank of America committed to donating a minimum of $25,000 in each of the company’s 93 markets to local nonprofit partners as part its vaccine booster effort. Because vaccination boosters and reporting are voluntary and additional company contributions are reflected in the final amount, actual donation amounts differ from the number of boosters reported by bank employees. Nationally, the bank has committed $10.6 million to food banks and hunger relief organizations through this effort. Since 2015, Bank of America has donated nearly $150 million toward hunger relief efforts.
The company has encouraged staff to get COVID-19 vaccinations since summer 2021 and has offered incentives such as paid time-off and $500 credits towards health benefit premiums. In partnership with local nonprofits, Bank of America has also distributed more than 38 million masks, 41,000 cases of hand sanitizer and 11 million gloves in local communities as part of its ongoing efforts to address health-related disparities accelerated by the pandemic.
