Donation to help Philabundance make deliveries

(Left to right) Jamie Bynum, president, Energy Transfer/Sunoco Foundation; Joe McGinn, Vice President of Public Affairs, Energy Transfer; Scott Fremont, Director – Individual Giving, Philabundance; Robin Tilley Hull, senior public affairs specialist, Energy Transfer; Chaundra Loesch, Director of Transportation, Philabundance pose with a $250,000 donation. Contributed photo.

A quarter-million dollars was donated by the Energy Transfer/Sunoco Foundation to help Philabundance put the pedal to the metal to drive out hunger.

Philabundance, the Delaware Valley’s largest hunger relief organization, received the check for $250,000 on June 21, which will provide fuel to deliver hundreds of thousands of meals to local residents who need it most.

“We are extremely grateful for this generous donation and long-standing partnership,” said Loree Jones, Philabundance CEO. “With rising food and fuel costs, this donation helps make it possible for Philabundance to keep its fleet of trucks on the road, distributing produce, bread, dairy products, meat, non-perishable foods and prepared meals to the communities that we serve. This will help the one in five people in the greater Philadelphia metropolitan area who face hunger every day.”

The donation is part of more than a decade-long partnership with Energy Transfer and Sunoco LP. It has contributed more than $2.8 million toward Philabundance’s mission to drive hunger from communities today while working to end hunger for good. Since 2010, the Energy Transfer/Sunoco Foundation has provided financial support to the Philabundance fleet of trucks, vans and cars.

“Both Energy Transfer and Sunoco LP have long-standing commitments to strengthen local communities, focusing on critical issues such as disaster relief, youth services, hunger and health, among others,” said Chris Curia, chairman of the Energy Transfer/Sunoco Foundation. “We recognize that the work Philabundance does in its communities is critical to people’s livelihood because it affects everything from health to education to financial success.”

Philabundance, located at 3616 S. Galloway St. in South Philly, has a fleet of 18 trucks, five vans and eight other company vehicles that travel more than 250,000 miles each year. 

In addition to food distribution, Philabundance reduces food waste, increases access to nutritious meals and takes on the root causes of hunger through programs such as the Philabundance Community Kitchen.

The partnership with The Energy Transfer/Sunoco Foundation has enabled Philabundance to expand its ability to source food, and provide emergency food assistance to more residents, including seniors and children.

“We at Sunoco are committed to distributing fuel to businesses and customers that need it around the country,” said Joe Kim, president and CEO of Sunoco LP. “Thus, supporting Philabundance’s fuel needs to deliver vital food to people struggling in the community was a natural fit.”