The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Invests in Community Resilience with Major Grants to Regional Food Banks

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$2.7 million in grants will support food access in Georgia and Montana as demand rises and federal resources drop

ATLANTA – July 31, 2025 – As communities across the U.S. face rising rates of food insecurity, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation today announced five significant grants to local food banks, providing crucial support amidst drastic cuts in federal funding. Through these grants, the foundation is investing in the resilience and well-being of communities and highlighting the role that local philanthropy can play in meeting urgent needs.

The grants include:

• $1 million to the Atlanta Community Food Bank (The Food Bank) to maintain high levels of food distribution across its 29-county service area. The Food Bank serves more than 820,000 individuals monthly, with perishables like fresh produce and refrigerated products accounting for over 65% of the food distributed.
• $1 million to Feeding Georgia, a statewide network supporting seven regional food banks, six of which are outside of metro Atlanta. This grant will enable the purchase of food from Georgia growers and support the Farm to Food Bank program, which repurposes unmarketable produce for consumption, reducing food waste and increasing nutritional access in 104 rural counties.
• $250,000 to the Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN) to expand its capacity to distribute culturally and demographically targeted nutrition across all 56 counties in Montana. The grant supports MFBN as it transitions into a new 57,000-square-foot warehouse, enabling a 20-fold increase in volunteer capacity and expanded food distribution routes.
• $250,000 to Hopa Mountain to provide small grants to rural and tribal food pantries in Montana that are in critical need of funds to purchase food, equipment and cover operating costs. Hopa Mountain will redistribute the entire $250,000 in small grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 to rural and tribal food pantries so they can provide families with healthy, fresh food.
• $200,000 to the Livingston Food Resource Center (LFRC) for general operating support. Through ten food access programs serving residents in Park County, Montana—including a mobile food pantry, school pantries and in-person shopping options—LFRC meets immediate needs while addressing long-term barriers to food security.

“Food insecurity has a profound impact on individuals and entire communities, especially in moments of heightened need,” said Fay Twersky, president of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. “Local food banks are on the frontlines, providing not only emergency relief but also strengthening the building blocks of long-term resilience. We are grateful for their leadership and proud to support their continued ability to serve our neighbors with dignity and care despite the loss of $1 billion in federal funding. We invite our fellow philanthropic and civic leaders to join us in rising to this challenge with urgency and generosity.”

Across the nation, food banks are experiencing unprecedented demand. Recent studies have documented that even before reductions in federal resources, food banks have seen a sharp increase in families seeking help, with children and seniors among the most affected (Feeding America). Such trends strain the capacity of local anchor organizations, requiring them to adapt quickly and innovate to continue providing essential services.

“Demand for food assistance in metro Atlanta has grown by 60% over the last three years. We are so grateful for the significant investment by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation in helping to ensure greater food security in our community,” said Kyle Waide, president and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. “This bold investment will allow us to provide healthy, nourishing food, including locally grown produce, to families, children and seniors when they need our help the most.” 

“Feeding Georgia’s member food banks were already seeing an increase in demand due to stubbornly high food and fuel prices,” said Julie Bryant Kuykendall, the new executive director at Feeding Georgia. “Recent changes in safety net nutrition programs like SNAP will make things worse for many families in the coming months. We are grateful to the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation for this timely and critical support to shore up food supplies in our statewide network of regional food banks and their 2,000+ partner pantries throughout the state.” 

“The nonprofit sector delivers essential services to economically fragile working families, children and seniors,” added Danah Craft, retiring executive director and now senior advisor at Feeding Georgia. “Cuts in funding for many of those programs will have far-reaching impacts at the local level, including impacts on Georgia farmers. We are so thankful for this support and hope to encourage more investments like these from philanthropic organizations and community-based donors to keep essential services like emergency food assistance strong.”

The grants will enable food banks to invest in both immediate relief—such as distributing meals for children and seniors most at risk—as well as long-term solutions that strengthen neighborhood food systems and community health. This multi-pronged approach reflects the idea that investing in local food banks drives local impact, building a more sustainable and equitable food system that starts with area farmers and producers. Some of the funds are earmarked for buying fresh food directly from local growers and producers, ensuring that families receive nutritious options while simultaneously creating a pipeline of resources that benefit the entire food system. Grants of this nature empower food banks to be reliable customers, giving local producers more predictable outlets, even in uncertain economic conditions.

“The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has stepped forward at a critical moment in Montana,” said Todd Lengacher, director of philanthropy, Montana Food Network. “This grant will immediately help us fill the significant food purchase gap left by federal budget cuts. It will also help us realize our long-held dream of increasing our capacity to work with the myriad farmers and ranchers who want to grow and harvest fresh produce and protein, so that together we can ensure that all Montanans have equitable access to high-quality, nutritious food.” 

Historically, most private foundation support for food banks has come in smaller increments, making large grants like these exceedingly rare (Cause IQ). By committing to bold action, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation aims both to fill critical gaps and to inspire others to match the scale of need with the scale of their support.

About the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation 

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is a philanthropy founded to help transform lives and communities by uniting people across differences to find common cause. Started in 1995 by Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot, the foundation has granted more than $1.5 billion to charitable causes. Our collective giving areas are Atlanta’s Westside, Democracy, Environment, Mental Health and Well-Being, and Youth Development. Across these areas, we take on tough challenges by uniting the courage and compassion of our communities so we can all thrive together.  

In addition to the priority areas of giving, the foundation oversees a large portfolio of grants including support of essential Atlanta nonprofit institutions, such as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Shepherd Center, and enduring founder-led initiatives, such as veterans and the military and stuttering, among others. For more, visit www.blankfoundation.org.  

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