Final $460K of AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund goes to rural food banks

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PHOENIX – Nearly half a million dollars is going to food banks across Arizona, primarily in rural areas, in the final payout from the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund, Gov. Doug Ducey announced Monday.

The Arizona Food Bank Network was granted $460,000 to distribute to a projected 40-plus organizations in 13 rural counties, according to a press release.

“For many families across our state, the economic disruptions of the pandemic are still causing hardships,” Angie Rodgers, Arizona Food Bank Network president and CEO, said in the release.

“Food banks are seeing the usual increased need around the holidays, and we expect this to continue through the winter months, which is why this funding couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Ducey established the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund in March 2020 as a source of financial support for groups working to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fund raised $10.1 million in private donations. The total included $5 million from the Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation and $1 million from the Arizona Cardinals.

A five-member independent committee, in consultation with the state’s philanthropic community, reviewed and approved requests for the funding.

The money was used for a variety of purposes, including to support providers of homeless, domestic violence and mental health services and to supply health care workers with personal protective equipment.

“I’m overwhelmed by the generosity from so many and thank all who’ve donated,” Ducey said in the release. “My sincere thanks also goes out to the leaders who volunteered their time to serve on the relief fund committee.

“They stepped up at a critical time, putting in countless hours with the philanthropic community to understand where the highest needs were and distribute these resources.”

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