The latest grant awarded by the Ralph Wilson Foundation is going to end up benefiting thousands of local residents.
The foundation set up by late Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson has awarded a $500,000 grant to the Food Bank of Western New York on Tuesday. The money will be used for upgrades to the bank's facilities and equipment.
Wilson's wife Mary was in Cheektowaga for the announcement at Resurrection Life, one of the Food Bank's many partners. Wilson says she has met many people over the years at the Bills Fan Food Drives.
"We have been involved with the Food Bank for a long time, and know...number one, what a great city Buffalo is, and the people in Buffalo make the Food Bank a great food bank, like many of the organizations here in Buffalo."
Food Bank Board Chair Tom Berical says the funding will go towards equipment upgrades and new vehicles to enhance the Mobile Food Pantry program. To ease deliveries, Berical says the Food Bank is investing in a new truck, which he says will increase the distribution of perishables by more than 640,000 pounds a year.
"The 26-foot refrigerated truck has a lift gate which will allow us to go to a drop-and-go model so we can expand our delivery to non-traditional sites such as fire halls, senior centers and schools," Berical said.
Every month, the Food Bank serves nearly 117,000 Western New Yorkers.