Donation from tech company helps food bank deliver fresh nutritious produce to low-income families
The Food Bank of Northern Nevada (FBNN), a food provider for families in need across northern Nevada, will deliver 300,000 meals through its direct service program—Mobile Harvest—thanks to a $100,000 donation from Google.
Every day hundreds of thousands of people come to Google to search for information on food assistance. Between Thanksgiving and the New Year, searches for food banks and pantries spike on Google. In fact, for more than a decade, search interest on Google for “food bank” and “food pantry” queries spikes by 30-50% every November.
Mobile Harvest is a direct service program similar to a mobile farmers market that pulls into nearly 45 low-income neighborhoods to provide nutritious fruits and vegetables to support families struggling to make ends meet. All families are eligible for assistance with no income qualifications.
“The Food Bank of Northern Nevada has alleviated several barriers to food access through their Mobile Harvest program,” said Kate Franko, Google’s Regional Head of Public Affairs. “They bring the food to the neighborhoods, removing the need for transportation, and they have worked tirelessly to create a welcoming environment for their patrons. Google is proud to support an organization working to not only reduce, but also destigmatize food insecurity.”
Mobile Harvest caters specifically to low-income neighbors including families and children, individuals, and seniors. In fiscal year 2021, Mobile Harvest channeled the equivalent of more than 2.1 million meals into 44 neighborhoods, providing 9,500 people each month with highly nutritious foods. According to FBNN, families flocked to Mobile Harvest during the pandemic because of its safe outdoor operation.
“We are so grateful for this partnership with Google and for their focus on creating a healthier community,” said Nicole Lamboley, president & CEO of the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. “We are so pleased that they have made the issue of food insecurity one of their top priorities and also share our view of the importance of nutrition and fresh fruits and vegetables being readily available to those who need them in our community.”
Funding from Google will be used to help pay for costs associated with executing Mobile Harvest. This includes sourcing, shipping and warehousing food, fuel and maintenance for trucks, as well as other supplies. For more information on The Food Bank of Northern Nevada and their programming, visit https://fbnn.org.
About Google in Nevada
In July 2019, Google broke ground on its first $600 million data center in Henderson, Nevada, with a second $600 million expansion following in 2020. In 2020 Google also announced a new $600 million investment in Storey County, bringing its total investment in Nevada to $1.8 billion. Once fully operational, all sites will employ people in a variety of fields including computer technicians, engineers, and various service, maintenance, and security roles.
About Food Bank of Northern Nevada
The Food Bank of Northern Nevada (FBNN) provides emergency food services to families through a network of 150 partner agencies in a 90,000 square mile service area throughout northern Nevada and the eastern slope of the sierra in California. The Food Bank of Northern Nevada has seen tremendous increases in the need for emergency food services since the beginning of the pandemic. Before the pandemic, the organization was helping approximately 91,000 people per month. That number has risen to an average of 107,000 people per month. The organization supports families through partner agencies, direct distributions, nutrition education and SNAP outreach.
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