CSX, The Conservation Fund give grants to relief groups

CSX and The Conservation Fund, partners in a program aimed at improving transportation and distribution of fresh, healthy food to communities in need, have announced grant awards to 10 charitable organizations in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee.
Each organization will receive $10,000 to enhance food delivery services so they can bring fresh food to their communities.
In many underserved communities, food distribution organizations such as food pantries encounter difficulty getting fresh, healthy food. Many producers and organizations also face challenges retaining quality and safety as they sell, store, package, and distribute fresh food. As a result, more than 23 million Americans have limited or no access to fresh produce, dairy, meats, and seafood.
“At CSX, it’s our job to connect communities through transportation every day, so we are proud to work with The Conservation Fund to support the local distribution of healthy and fresh food across many of the communities where we work and live,” said Tori Kaplan, assistant vice-president, corporate social responsibility, CSX. “Partnering with local organizations helps us live our commitment to improving the health and wellness of communities across our 21,000 miles of track.”
The Conservation Fund, a national non-profit dedicated to finding solutions that balance environmental and economic needs, has partnered with CSX to help address gaps in local food distribution and enhance delivery capabilities.
The grant program supports organizations that distribute fresh produce and perishable food in the 23 states where CSX operates. Combined, the 10 recipient organizations provide nutritious food to approximately six million people per year, bringing nearly 118,000,000 pounds of food equaling 98,000,000 meals served each year.
Grant recipients include:
•Capital District Community Garden, Troy NY
•Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Chattanooga TN
•The Deep South Community Agriculture Network (DSCAN), Darien GA
•Farm Share Inc, Homestead FL
•Feeding America Tampa Bay, Tampa FL
•Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank, Comstock Park MI
•Food Pantries for the Capital District Inc, Albany NY
•Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana Inc, Indianapolis IN
•Grow Appalachia, Berea KY
•Lake-to-River Food Cooperative, Youngstown OH
Access www.csx.com or www.conservationfund.org for further information.