Donation to help eliminate food insecurity through “Food Secure City” collaboration

United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania received a $50,000 grant from Bayer Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer in the U.S., that will be used to address food insecurity and equitable access to healthy foods, making Pittsburgh and surrounding areas the first Food Secure City.

Through collaboration with local thought leaders in the areas of healthy food and food security, this effort will address the issue of food insecurity from a systems perspective – to create long-term, sustainable solutions to food crisis in our region. And, it ensures more equitable access to healthy, affordable food in all of our communities.

“United Way’s work is about mobilizing our community to solve problems, combining resources to amplify our impact, to help struggling families receive vital human services now, building sustainable solutions for the future and increasing equitable opportunities for all,” shared Sally Ellwein, Director, Meeting Basic Needs, United Way of Southwestern PA. “We’re grateful for this grant from Bayer Fund that enables us to further our work to ensure the basic needs – specifically food security – of the families in our communities are being met.”

United Way and its partners will collaborate with local stakeholders and work directly within the communities in need. This team of experts will develop and implement systems to increase access to healthy, sustainable food sources within the pocketed neighborhoods of Pittsburgh and our surrounding communities.

“Healthy food is one of the most important drivers for success in the classroom, athletic field or the corporate office,” Chef Claudy Pierre, pioneer of the Food Secure City collaboration, said. “Food builds relationships. Food unites. We are bringing together local stakeholders and working within the communities in need to eliminate food insecurity and food desserts.”

This grant will also fund a Food Packing event in May 2023 where 250 volunteers will pack more than 1,700 food boxes. Each box will provide six meals for a family of four and will be distributed throughout the region.

Bayer employs approximately 1,400 employees in the Pittsburgh region who work out of sites in Indianola, Saxonburg, and O’Hara under the Bayer Pharmaceuticals division.