Loree D. Jones Brown Chief Executive Officer
Loree’s Table From
Dear Friends,
Here at Philabundance, we have stepped into 2025 with the same purpose and passion that has guided our work for 40 years, a remarkable milestone that we will continue celebrating into the spring.
Over the course of the last four decades we have seen—firsthand—that the world around us will continue to change. In the last five years alone, we faced a dual public health and financial crises head-on; we innovated in real time to address and meet unprecedented rise in hunger; and we worked alongside two administrations to raise our neighbors’ voices and advocate for their most basic needs.
Amid all this change, our commitment to provide emergency food assistance to anyone and everyone facing food insecurity, has remained constant.
In the pages that follow, you’ll see how we are living this commitment in our day-to-day efforts, delivering hope to our neighbors through programs and initiatives that reaffirm our commitment to combat hunger with dignity and respect. From our annual Turkey Drive and our work to close the holiday meal gap to the programs that address the root causes of food insecurity—like our very own Philabundance Community Kitchen, which recently graduated its 100th class—these stories are proof of what’s possible, thanks to the generous support of friends like you.
As we prepare to wrap up our anniversary celebration this spring, I hope you will save the date for our 40th anniversary event on May 14, a celebration of our impact to date and an opportunity to renew our vigor to drive hunger from our communities today and end hunger for good.
On behalf of the countless communities who benefit from your support, I thank you for your continued investment in our work.
Yours in service,
Loree D. Jones Brown Chief Executive Officer
Board of Directors
BOARD CHAIR
Dixie James
VICE CHAIR
BJ Clark
Noel Eisenstat
John Hollway
TREASURER
Elizabeth Ireland
SECRETARY
Niki Hawkins
MEMBERS
Bassam Awadalla
Mayra Bergman
Scott Jackson
Pam Rainey Lawler
David Leone
Adele Lindenmeyr, PhD
Marisa Magnatta
Cheryl Martin
David Miller
Desiree Murphy Morrissey
Aleni Pappas
Todd Peterson
Martin Phillips
Milton Pratt, Jr.
Estelle Richman
John Ruane
Nyeema Watson, PhD
Angela Wurster
TRUSTEE
Alan Casnoff
Our Impact in 2024
meals served to those in need pounds of rescued and redistributed food that would have gone to waste of all food sourced considered healthy, including 100% of all purchased food
ready-to-eat meals prepared and distributed by the Philabundance Community Kitchen
More Than Food
Driving hunger from our community through food and support services this Thanksgiving
On Saturday, November 23, Philabundance staff and volunteers gathered at our Berks Warehouse for our Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Distribution.
Over the course of the day, 1,000 neighbors came to the special distribution, each receiving a turkey, as well as fresh cabbage and coconut milk.
For the second year in a row, the distribution event also served as a community resource fair, bringing together organizations throughout the city so our neighbors could learn about additional resources, including the Philabundance Community Kitchen (PCK) culinary training program.
“We’re not just giving out free turkeys for families in need to make the holidays a little bit easier, but we’re connecting individuals with much needed resources too,” said John Coates, director of community food access at Philabundance. “When we have the chance to give food out directly to individuals, [we like to] pair that food with additional resources people need.”
There was great success and a high turnout from neighbors at this year’s event. By 11:30am, almost 900 turkeys had already been distributed.
“There’s a lot of great organizations out that want to connect with the folks that are showing up here today,” Coates said.
The Thanksgiving Turkey Distribution event was part of our overall holiday food distribution for 2024. In November, we distributed over 17,000 turkeys (almost doubled from 2023) nearly 200,000 side items, and more than 6,000 turkey and vegetarian individual meals prepared by PCK.
“We could not do this work without the help of volunteers,” said Coates. “Every day we rely on volunteers to help get our food out to the communities that need it most.”
Thank you to all of our Resource Fair Partners who came together to support our neighbors! Acelero Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha (APM) Congreso
Healthy Pantry Initiative
Jefferson Health
City of Philadelphia Office of Children and Families PAWS
Penn Asian Senior Services (PASSi)
Philabundance Community Kitchen
Philadelphia Corporation for Aging Uplift Solutions
Women Against Abuse Xiente
Resilience, Creativity, and Hope: 100 graduating classes at the Philabundance Community Kitchen
In a year of milestones, we are so proud to be celebrating another: the 100th graduating class from the Philabundance Community Kitchen (PCK). This special graduation ceremony in early January kicked off the 25th year of PCK and featured a special performance by the Positive Movement Drum Line. The celebration included remarks from Candace Matthews-Bass, program manager, PCK; Chef Nick Wolber, director, PCK; Loree Jones Brown, Philabundance CEO; and a special keynote address from Barbie Izquierdo, director of advocacy for neighbor engagement at Feeding America.
“The significance of this 100th graduation cannot be overstated. It represents not just the culmination of your hard work, but also the enduring impact of Philabundance Community Kitchen over the years,” said Izquierdo. “One hundred graduating classes have walked this path, each leaving a legacy of resilience, creativity, and hope.”
Izquierdo, born and raised in North Philadelphia herself, shared her lived experience of food insecurity.
“Growing up, I faced the painful reality of food insecurity. I remember vividly the ache of hunger and the weight of uncertainty that came with it. There were nights when the cupboards were bare, and the simple act of eating felt like an unattainable luxury. It’s a type of struggle that stays with you, shaping your outlook and your determination,” Izquierdo said.
Those moments of despair, she said, are what ignited a spark that has helped get her to where she is today.
“I knew I had to fight for a better life—not just for myself but for my family and my community... I never thought I’d stand on stages like this, sharing my story with people from all walks of life. I never imagined I’d have the privilege of advocating for those who face the same struggles I once did. Yet here I am, and it’s that lived experience that fuels my passion every day.”
For 25 years, PCK has been providing tools to break the cycle of hunger through its 16-week culinary vocational training program, promoting self-sufficiency and preparing students for work in the food service industry.
The program offers eight weeks of classroom instruction and hands-on training in a restaurant style kitchen, an additional eight weeks working in a state of the art meal production kitchen, and a two-week internship. During their time in the kitchen, students help PCK staff produce around 400,000 ready to eat meals each year for seniors, children, and shelters annually.
One hundred graduating classes have walked this path, each leaving a legacy of resilience, creativity, and hope.
Barbie Izquierdo, director of advocacy, neighbor engagement at Feeding America
PCK is vital to our mission: addressing the root causes of hunger, while continuing to feed our neighbors in need every day.
“Philadelphia is a city known for its resilience and heart, and you are living testaments to those qualities,” Izquierdo said as she addressed the graduates. “Each of you has overcome obstacles, defied expectations, and embraced opportunities to create a brighter future—not only for yourselves but also for the communities you touch. That’s what makes today so extraordinary.”
Congratulations, graduates! We look forward to continuing this work, and sharing more updates during PCK’s Silver Anniversary. To see Izquierdo’s entire speech, visit philabundance.org/PCK100.
Mark Your Calendar!
On behalf of Philabundance, we are thrilled to invite you to help us celebrate our 40th anniversary. Mark your calendar for Wednesday, May 14, 2025 and join us at our (Beet) Hunger Bash at the Pump House in Bala Cynwyd, PA.
The (Beet) Hunger Bash is a culinary tasting event spotlighting the region’s top chefs and bringing together food enthusiasts and community supporters to benefit our work to drive hunger from our communities.
Visit philabundance.org/gala to learn more, to buy tickets, and to learn about sponsorship opportunities.
Help celebrate our past and strengthen our future as an essential part of the fabric of our region. I promise it will be a milestone event you won’t want to miss.
Kristine DelMonte Chief Development Officer
A Bicentennial Celebration with Jefferson
On Friday, December 20, Philabundance hosted around 100 volunteers from Jefferson Health at our Roxborough warehouse to help pack emergency food boxes for children.
The volunteer shift, one of the largest ever hosted by Philabundance, was part of Jefferson’s goal of having 200,000 service hours from employees in honor of their 200th anniversary.
Volunteers packed 7,000 bags of food, each consisting of individual packs of milk, juice, crackers, cereal, apple sauce, a snack bar, and a can of chili or ravioli.
In the Community with Philabundance
The last several months at Philabundance have been full of events helping to raise awareness about food insecurity in our region and getting food to those in need. Check out what we’ve been up to recently to help drive hunger from our community!
Eagles Goedert Volunteers
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17. SOUTH PHILADELPHIA HUNGER
RELIEF CENTER: Philadelphia Eagle Dallas Goedert spent the morning volunteering at our South Philadelphia warehouse as part of his efforts to raise awareness about childhood food insecurity.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4. PHILABUNDANCE COMMUNITY
KITCHEN: Chef Robert Irvine visited and volunteered at PCK to help ensure veterans have access to the healthy, nutritious food they deserve!
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11. PHILABUNDANCE COMMUNITY
KITCHEN: 45 neighbors engaged in a cooking demonstration and received a grocery cart full of kitchen essentials, including fresh ingredients to prepare the meal they saw demonstrated.
Food Trucks & Fireworks
MONDAY, DECEMBER 2. VICTORY BEER HALL: Our Board of Directors showed their support during Camp Out for Hunger and joined us for Food Trucks & Fireworks!
Thanksgiving Day Parade
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28. BEN FRANKLIN PARKWAY: Despite the rain, staff and volunteers marched in Philadelphia’s 105th Thanksgiving Day Parade to collect food for our neighbors in need.
6abc Telethon
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3. WPVI TV: We partnered with 6abc to raise funds and awareness around food insecurity on Giving Tuesday. We raised over $60,000 this year.
Chef Robert Irvine Visits PCK
Community Cook-in
Make a Lasting Impact
Join the Philabundance Legacy Society to make an impact for the future
Margaret Wrigley dedicated her time and talents during her life to those around her, especially the local community. A volunteer and supporter of Philabundance, Margaret ensured her estate would help feed those neighbors that were hungry. “I know she felt good about doing that,” said Margaret’s sister Joanne. “I’m proud to know that what she’s given is helping in the community. And I think that’s a pretty good legacy.”
To learn how you can leave a lasting legacy by supporting Philabundance, visit philabundance.mylegacygift.org or contact our development office at giving@philabundance.org or 215-339-0900.
Filling the Gap: Providing healthy meals during school breaks
With the 2024 winter break being a full two weeks long, much longer than the past several seasons, we knew we had to adjust our programs accordingly.
Philabundance’s Holiday Gap Meals program provides vital support for children and families during school breaks, when many are left without access to meals that would typically be provided at school. In 2023, we distributed over 10,000 pounds of food to families in need during holiday breaks.
“The gap meals for children in our region are so important,” said Avi Nocella, special projects manager at Philabundance. “Every year we receive feedback from families about how helpful the program is and how much they enjoy the meals. We’re excited to expand the program this year to support families during the extended holiday break.”
This year, we were able to increase the number of delicious meals we provided to students by 60% to meet the need created by extra days off from school. The 8,000 meals, handmade by the Philabundance Community Kitchen, were distributed by 24 youthserving community partners throughout all nine
Philadelphia County
Anderson School
Gideon School
Logan School
Richard Wright School
Willard Elementary
Dobbins (HS)
GW (HS)
Mitzvah Food Program - NE
Small Things
North Light Community Center
Eddie’s House -The Cornerstone
Mighty Writers- North
Mighty Writers-El Futuro
Mighty Writers- West
Chester County
Mighty Writers-El Futuro Kennet
counties we serve. This year, we also committed to increasing the variety of meals we provided to children.
Philabundance and our partners believe that gap meal programs are about much more than simply putting food on the table. We strive to provide wholesome and delicious meals, that help to teach the value of eating well and enjoying fresh healthy fruits and veggies. The program also provides culturally relevant foods to families in need, with dignity, convenience, and care.
Victory AOG 2024 HOLIDAY GAP MEAL DISTRIBUTION SITES
Delaware County
Ridley Park UMC
Chester Upland SD
Montgomery County
ICNA Relief
Mattie Dixon
Bucks County
Mitzvah Food Program
Camden County
Mighty Writers Camden
Burlington County
Sisterhood Inc
Gloucester County
Mid-Atlantic States Career & Education Center
Salem County
Camp Out for Hunger
It was chilly during the week of the 2024 Camp Out for Hunger, but that didn’t stop the listeners of the Preston & Steve Show on 93.3 WMMR from coming out each day to the Nation’s Largest Single-Site Food Drive. Listeners donated food and funds, hung out to listen to the live show and the daily house bands, rode the carnival rides, and learned about Philabundance’s work in the region.
Camp Out for Hunger, in its 27th year, had a jam-packed schedule – with the live show broadcasting daily from 6 AM – 11 AM. This year we had Food Trucks & Fireworks on Monday night, an acoustic concert on Tuesday night featuring members of the Hooters and other bands, and Quizzo on Thursday evening. Donations, celebrity interviews, great music, confetti cannons, and just a little bit of craziness happened all week long.
Thanks to all of our Business Challenge participants for their collections and donations in support of Camp Out and Philabundance.
Congratulations to the 2024 Business Challenge Winners:
1st place: Subaru of America – 720,000 pounds and $10,000.
2nd place: Comcast – 366,253 pounds.
3rd place: Campbell’s Chunky – 250,000 pounds.
The collected donations filled 10 tractor trailers with food; individuals, schools, organizations and small and large businesses also donated over $1M to help us drive hunger from our communities.
Philabundance is incredibly grateful for the partnership with Beasley Media Group, 93.3 WMMR, and of course, Preston & Steve who make it all happen. We are grateful for every donor of food or funds from the young child who donated his allowance to the largest corporation. The way the region comes together to embrace this event has had an incredible impact on the work we do.
Attention Law Firms Looking to Fight Hunger!
Justice for the Hungry is a friendly competition that encourages law firms and organizations to collect food and raise funds for Philabundance as we drive hunger from our communities. This year’s campaign will take place from April 1st through April 30th, 2025. If you, your firm, or law community organization is interested in participating, please contact Ali Corr at acorr@philabundance.org. From sole practitioners to large firms, all are welcome to compete in their respective groups. Early registration will help your team rise to the top of the leaderboard!
3616 South Galloway Street Philadelphia, PA 19148
www.philabundance.org
