By BGR Staff
Although BGR is not an emergency relief organization, in the months since the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread throughout the world, BGR has been doing its best to address the urgent need for food assistance that has arisen because of the pandemic. While maintaining sufficient funds for our regular programs, we have regularly made contributions that specifically target communities negatively affected by the pandemic.
Between March and December 2020, BGR has contributed a total of over $65,000 to COVID-related food assistance. International donations include a $5,000 contribution to the World Food Programme, $1,600 to Karuna Trust in Sri Lanka, and $500 to the Bangladesh Buddhist Missionary Society. In the United States, BGR has donated $20,500 to Feeding America, an umbrella organization that supports food banks around the country. We have also donated $4,200 to the food distribution program of Empty Cloud Monastery in West Orange, New Jersey, $3,000 to City Harvest in New York City, and the balance to individual food banks and food distribution centers around the country. We maintain an ongoing program of $2,500 monthly donations to Feeding America and $500 to the Empty Cloud food program to assist peoples whose food requirements have become more urgent on account of the pandemic.
Image: Used by permission from Getty Images, VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 09: Juana Gomez (L), 50, from North Hollywood, wears a face mask and gloves, while using a trash bag to protect against the rain, as she waits in line to receive food at a Food Bank distribution for those in need as the coronavirus pandemic continues on April 9, 2020 in Van Nuys, California. Organizers said they had distributed food for 1,500 families amid the spread of COVID-19. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) See more.
