Written by Julianne Foster
CityServe’s incredible work with churches and the Farmers to Families Food Box Program has proven essential in providing relief for farmers and customers pressured by the impact of COVID-19 on the economy.
On June 16, CityServe Cofounders Dave Donaldson and Wendell Vinson partnered with World Vision National Director of U.S. Programs Reed Slattery, Ivanka Trump, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, Pastor Paula White, and White House Center for Faith & Opportunity Initiatives at the Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ in Pittsburgh to distribute food boxes to the neighboring community.
The effectiveness of the Farmers to Families program through the empowerment of local churches by CityServe and World Vision was seen firsthand by Trump and Perdue through this event. Perdue described the experience as “the best of America on display – Americans helping their fellow citizens during their time of need.”
Ivanka Trump is President Trump’s first daughter and Senior Advisor, which adds weight to her presence and support shown by coming in-person to help serve the community through the church. Ivanka expressed her appreciation for all involved in the program, especially CityServe and World Vision for reaching the most vulnerable who are often unreached by the government or other nonprofits.
Thank you Bishop Mann for hosting us at the Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ in Pittsburgh, PA.
Through amazing faith based organizations such as yours our #FarmerstoFamilies food box program has delivered over 20 M boxes of fruit, meat and dairy to families in need! pic.twitter.com/b4ZWkgFCQc
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) June 16, 2020
This recognition is well deserved as their work is life-saving, distributing the 1.7 million food boxes that faith-based communities receive each month across the nation. The most vulnerable to food insecurity are being taken care of and given new opportunities to feed their families, despite the detrimental impacts fo COVID-19.
Dave Donaldson ended his remarks at a panel discussion by explaining that “connecting our great farmers to suppliers that are producing the boxes for charities and great churches like this one (Pentecostal Temple, Pittsburgh) is an unstoppable army of compassion.”
