News Releases

Irvine, CA — September 16, 2015 — Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and the Mazda Foundation today announced a $500,000 grant by the Foundation which will be used to fund Second Harvest programs targeting hungry children and seniors in the community. The grant, which will be dispersed over a three year period, will provide the equivalent of nearly 500,000 meals each year for a total of 1.5 million meals for the hungry.

One in five children in Orange County will go hungry at some point during the month and their health and learning can be negatively impacted. Second Harvest Food Bank’s Child Hunger Strategy, which includes its Kids Cafe and School Pantry Programs, provides nutritious food to children and their families in underserved neighborhoods. The Mazda Foundation grant will enable Second Harvest to make sure that more at-risk children and their families are well-fed and well-nourished.

For the 45 percent of seniors in the county who are unable to afford basic necessities, the Mazda Foundation grant will allow Second Harvest to provide them with healthy groceries twice a month so they aren’t forced to choose between buying food and paying rent or buying medications

“This generous grant from the Mazda Foundation will greatly increase our ability to provide more nutritious meals to children and seniors so they and their families can stop worrying about where their next meal will come from,” said Nicole Suydam, Second Harvest CEO.  “Mazda has been a wonderful partner and we are very grateful for their support through this grant and for the hundreds of hours of volunteer service donated by their employees.”

In recognition of this significant contribution, Second Harvest had renamed its Volunteer Center the Mazda Foundation Volunteer Center. More than 18,000 volunteers will come

through the center this year to help Second Harvest achieve its mission to end hunger in Orange County.

Robert Davis, President of the Mazda Foundation (USA), Inc., said, “Giving back to our communities is at the core of what we do at Mazda and the Mazda Foundation. Supporting Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is one of the most important programs in our immediate community. Ensuring that our kids, seniors and families don’t go to sleep hungry is such an important mission and we are proud to be a partner with Second Harvest.”

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About Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County

Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is the largest nonprofit hunger relief organization in Orange County leading the fight to end hunger in our community. Second Harvest distributes donated, purchased and prepared foods through a network of more than 320 partner agencies in 440 locations throughout the county. Last year, Second Harvest provided enough food for more than 17.6 million meals, feeding more than 200,000 people each month. Every dollar donated to Second Harvest provides enough food for three meals for the hungry. Second Harvest is a member of Feeding America, a national hunger relief organization. For more information about our work and how you can help visit FeedOC.org.

Mazda Foundation

Through the Mazda Foundation, Mazda and its employees are working together to proactively help our neighbors – and the communities where we live and work – to build a better, brighter future. With contributions exceeding $8 million since its founding in 1992, the Mazda Foundation is playing a meaningful role in helping thousands of Americans realize their aspirations and dreams. It’s also important to note that programs the Mazda Foundation supports range from children’s organizations and educational scholarships to food banks, environmental programs and crucial disaster relief efforts. To lean more, visit Mazdafoundation.org.