DUNKIN’ JOY IN CHILDHOOD FOUNDATION AWARDS NEARLY $40,000 IN GRANTS TO SUPPORT HUNGER RELIEF EFFORTS IN THE CAPITAL REGION

Donation is part of $1 million in grants being awarded to support hunger relief organizations nationwide

Dunkin’ will celebrate National Donut Day in the Capital Region on Friday, June 4

ALBANY, NEW YORK; – The Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, the charitable organization powered by Dunkin’ and the generosity of its franchisees, guests and employees, today announced nearly $40,000 in grants to five hunger relief organizations in the Capital Region.

The funding is part of the $1 million in emergency hunger relief grants made available to non-profits in March, bringing the total amount of Foundation grants awarded to battle hunger during the pandemic to $3.25 million.

“The Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation and our Capital Region franchisees are thrilled to be presenting nearly $40,000 in grants to non-profit organizations in the Capital Region that share our commitment to bringing joy to kids and helping them access healthy, nourishing food,” said Dunkin’ Field Marketing Manager Eric Stensland. “We know how critical the services provided by these local organizations are to kids and families in the Capital Region, which is why we’re so proud to support their ongoing work in the community.”

The following hunger relief organizations received funding as part of the donation.

• $10,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area: The grant will support the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area’s traditional meal program and a no-contact, mobile meal delivery service which provides free breakfast and lunch to low-income houses and apartments throughout Albany and Rensselaer Counties. In 2020, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area meal programs served more than 460,000 meals throughout the community

“Through the ongoing funding received from the Dunkin Foundation, we are able to continue to provide these services and meet the needs of more families in the Capital Region,” said Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area Chief Executive Officer Justin Reuter. “This generous gift from the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation will allow us to feed and further support the community we care so much about. We would like to sincerely thank the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation and Capital Region franchisees for supporting the children and families in our community.”

• $10,000 to Shenendehowa Bountiful Backpack Program: The donation from the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation will allow the Shenendehowa Bountiful Backpack Program to support current and future students within the district. The Bountiful Backpack program currently provides 280 students in the school district with backpacks full of food on the weekends when other resources may not be available. The nutritious food items are purchased through the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and then organized, packed and distributed on a weekly basis by community organizations and numerous dedicated volunteers.

“As a district leadership team, we often speak about the synergy of efforts and collective work and reciprocal responsibility,” said Superintendent of Shenendehowa Schools Dr. Oliver Robinson. “In other words, we are stronger together. This partnership with the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, epitomizes the power of coming together to ensure all children are well.”

• $7,000 to Watervliet Civic Center: The grant funding will support the Watervliet Civic Center Food is Fuel program which provides a bag of healthy and nutritious food for youth to take home during the weekend when there is no other food program in place. The Watervliet Civic Center Food is Fuel program will be offered each day during the summer months when school is no longer in session.

“The Watervliet Civic Center’s Food is Fuel program will allow hundreds of chronically hungry and at-risk Watervliet youth to have a healthy and nutritious meal and snack each day during the summer months,” said Executive Director of the Watervliet Civic Center Bill Sheehy. “We thank the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation for their generosity and support.”

• $5,000 to Mount Ida Community Food Pantry: The donation from the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation will be used to purchase nutritious food, produce, milk and eggs for the food pantry which supports numerous families in the city of Troy. The funding will also be used to support a summer meals program for children to make sure they receive healthy and easy to prepare meal items when they are out of school during the summer.

“We would like to thank the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation for its very generous donation of $5,000 to the Mount Ida Community Food Pantry,” said Mount Ida Community Food Pantry Director Denise Dunham. “This past year has been challenging as our volunteers have been working hard to continue serving the many families in need throughout the pandemic. We cannot show our appreciation enough for the generosity of the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation as this donation will go a long way to help us continue to help our neighbors in need.”

• $5,000 to Victory Church: The grant will be used to support the Victory Church feeding center which has been supporting children in the inner-city of Albany for more than 20 years. Victory Church will also use the money to purchase food and supplies to help provide emergency food pantry services to those in need in the community.

“I cannot thank the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation enough for their generous donation to support the work we do in the community,” said Victory Church Pastor Charlie Muller. “It’s vitally important to have corporate partners like Dunkin’ to help feed those in need.  Dunkin’ is a part of our community and we appreciate their efforts to make a difference in their neighborhoods.”

The donations come as many hunger relief organizations experience a significant increase in the volume of clients they serve and unprecedented challenges in the wake of the pandemic. The emergency grants from the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation are designed to provide flexible funding for organizations as they provide critical care and services to their communities.

In 2020, the Joy in Childhood Foundation provided more than $4.5 million in grants to 350 organizations around the country and has granted over $30 million since its inception. To learn more about the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, visit www.bringjoy.org or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

The grant announcement comes two days before National Donut Day, which Dunkin’ restaurants will celebrate on Friday, June 4 in the Capital Region.

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About the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation 

The Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, the charitable foundation supported by Dunkin’ and the generosity of its franchisees, guests, vendor partners and employees, provides the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness. The Foundation partners with food banks, children’s hospitals and nonprofit organizations to fund joyful environments and joyful experiences for kids when they need it most. Since 2006, the Joy in Childhood Foundation has granted more than $30 million to hundreds of national and local charities across the country. For more information, please visit http://www.bringjoy.org/.