The Vermont Foodbank announced today that it has received a $20,000 grant from The Dunkin’ Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation (DDBRCF). In the final year of its three-year, $1,000,000 commitment, The DDBRCF is working closely with Feeding America® member food banks to support child-hunger initiatives nationwide. Nearly 34,000 children face hunger in Vermont each year. This grant will help Vermont Foodbank better serve those kids in need.

The Backpack Program provides children in need with nutritious and easy-to-prepare food to take home on weekends and school vacations when other resources are not available.

“Vermont Foodbank’s child feeding programs are critical to supporting the 1 in 5 kids in Vermont who are struggling with hunger,” said John Sayles, CEO at Vermont Foodbank. “With support from The Dunkin Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation, we can ensure that more kids have access to the food needed to learn and thrive.”

“We are delighted to continue to support Feeding America in its efforts to help alleviate child-hunger in our country,” said Dunkin’ Brands Chief Communications Officer and Co-Chair of The Dunkin’ Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation, Karen Raskopf. “This million-dollar, three-year grant was the largest in our Foundation’s history. Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins and our franchisees are committed to continuing to raise funds so we can help take care of even more of those in need in our communities.”

The $1,000,000 grant, the largest donation in The DDBRCF history, has been distributed among Feeding America member food banks across the United States over the past three years. Last year, fifteen Feeding America member food banks received $20,000 grants each.

The DDBRCF has been a national Feeding America partner since 2007 and, in addition to this large grant, has donated more than $1,000,000 to support the Feeding America network. Over the past nine years, The DDBRCF has addressed the issue of hunger relief through both national and local efforts. Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins franchisees have held fundraisers to support local food banks, led food drives in the communities they serve and organized volunteer days at their local food banks to help fill backpacks with nutritious meals for children. Last year, nearly 1,600 franchisees and employees came together at 70 Feeding America member food banks nationwide for The DDBRCF second annual National Week of Service. To learn more about the Dunkin’ Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation, please visit www.dunkinbrands.com/foundation.