CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Molson Coors Beverage Company announced Tuesday a donation of 750,000 meals to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, as part of its community giving program providing food and supplies to help fight hunger during this unprecedented time.
According to the company, the community giving program will support food pantries facing increased demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 10 hometown and brewery-based markets. In total, Molson Coors will donate nearly three million meals.
“As the number of people impacted by COVID-19 continues to grow, food insecurity has become a community crisis and food banks are seeing unprecedented demand. We’re committed to meeting the needs in the communities where we work and live,” said Michael Nordman, Community Affairs Director at Molson Coors.
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According to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, food insecurity in Chicago and Cook County is estimated to rise by 51 percent this year, due to COVID-19 and job losses. In recent months, some local food pantries have been serving two or three times more families as they usually would.
“Never in the 41-year history of the Greater Chicago Food Depository have we seen such a dramatic increase in the number of people seeking food assistance,” said Kate Maehr, the Food Depository’s executive director and CEO. “Many of them are facing hunger for the first time during this ongoing crisis. We’re so grateful to Molson Coors, headquartered right here in Chicago, for this generous donation that will help feed our neighbors in need.”
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Molson Coors also announces that it is donating canned water, producing hand sanitizer, and providing relief funds supporting those in the bar and restaurant industry.
“This program is a direct reflection of our commitment to improve our neighborhoods and invest in initiatives that build resilient communities,” Nordman said. “The work being done on a local level is especially important, and we’ll continue to find more ways to give back and make a positive impact.”