Two weeks after starting fundraising to provide rapid relief for those facing food insecurity amplified by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program uncertainty, the Worcester-based United Way of Central Massachusetts has already raised more than $1.2 million for local communities in need.
The UWCM used $500,000 in seed investments from its United Response Fund, knowing that 80,000 individuals in its service area are affected by food insecurity, 53,000 of which in Worcester specifically, according to a Wednesday press release from the organization.
“We know philanthropy cannot replace the scale of federal and state programs,”
Lynn Cheney, UWCM vice president of communications, said in the release. “But doing nothing is not an option. We’re grateful for those who’ve already stepped up, and this fund ensures we act quickly, effectively, and together when crisis strikes.”
In addition to addressing food insecurity, the fund supports those in emergencies, crises, and disasters.
The funds recipients so far include the Worcester Community Action Council, which received $400,000 to purchase food gift cards to be distributed starting on Friday.
“Gift cards are an essential way to deliver direct aid,” UWCM CEO and President Tim Garvin, said in the release. “Our role is to connect people and resources. With the creation of UWCM’s United Response Fund, we’re convening donors, volunteers, city and state leaders, and nonprofits, joining them in action so that no one is left behind and our community doesn’t wait for help to arrive.”
Other Worcester organizations receiving financing from the United Response Fund include the Worcester Housing Authority, the family resource centers of Seven Hills Foundation, and the Regional Environmental Council.
UWCM’s new initiative comes as food pantries across Massachusetts are experiencing double-digit increases in demand, in part impacted by the cuts and delays to SNAP benefits, according to the release. Those losses reverberate out to the local grocery and food industry, as they lose more than $2.2 million per week when residents don’t have access to SNAP benefits.
In 2023, UWCM generated $9.98 million in revenue and had $15.75 million in assets, according to nonprofit financial tracker GuideStar.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.
