As food insecurity and the need for food assistance continues to explode amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaiser Permanente continues to support community-based organizations that are providing food access during this challenging time. Kaiser Permanente recently donated $20,000 to the non-profit organization, SevaTruck – the non-profit arm of local tech company, Sevatec – which seeks to combat hunger in the D.C. region by providing free hot meals to communities experiencing food insecurity. SevaTruck is now delivering about 2,000 meals per week to families in need at partner organizations like churches, schools and community centers. Kaiser Permanente’s contribution will allow SevaTruck to gain 15 new food distribution partners and deliver 10,000 more meals in Northern Virginia and throughout the DMV.
Since its founding 2016, SevaTruck has delivered more than 145,000 meals to local families in the DC region, and since the pandemic, the demand has skyrocketed. In the district, the food insecurity rate is estimated to be at least 16 percent this year, up from 10 percent before the pandemic, and the Capital Area Food Bank estimates that the Washington region could experience a 48 to 60 percent increase in food insecurity. Just since March, SevaTruck has provided more than 65,000 meals to local families in need. On any given Thursday, you’ll find SevaTruck volunteers rolling up vegetarian burritos and packaging it with fresh fruit and dessert to serve hundreds of families facing food insecurity in the Culmore neighborhood in Virginia.
“This contribution to SevaTruck is one small part of the work that Kaiser Permanente is doing to remove barriers to health equity, such as food insecurity, as we seek to fulfill our mission to improve health in our communities,” said Celeste James, executive director of Community Health at Kaiser Permanente. “Kaiser Permanente’s partnership with SevaTruck represents our on-going commitment to residents of Northern Virginia, where Kaiser Permanente is supporting several community organizations that serve the Bailey’s Crossroads and Culmore communities to create long-term, sustainable pathways to better health, including access to affordable housing, healthy food, health care, and transportation.”
As we head into the holidays with many families continuing to face food insecurity, SevaTruck is gearing up to deliver thousands of hot meals to those in need, as well as hundreds of bags of holiday groceries. You can learn more about SevaTruck and find ways to donate and volunteer at: sevatruck.org.
