United Food Bank's primary focus has been to feed people in Arizona. Although it's challenging for our staff and volunteers to be on the front lines of this pandemic, we continue to operate by mitigating the risks of exposure by following CDC guidelines. Thank you to all the volunteers that have helped us deliver more food than ever before.
In the midst of growing concerns about the Coronavirus (COVID-19), United Food Bank seeks to continue providing vital food assistance throughout the East Valley and eastern Arizona. During this time, we are closely monitoring this evolving health issue and taking available measures to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
To date, we have delivered 1.5 million pounds of food for March. Typically, we average 1.6 million pounds of food per month. We believe we will hit approximately 2.2 million pounds at the end of this month and next-a more than 25% increase in just a month. At our Help Yourself food distribution on March 20, a record number of nearly 1,200 households and more than 5,400 individuals were served in five hours.
Our mission is to stabilize the lives of hungry, low-income people within Eastern Maricopa, Gila and Pinal, and Southern Navajo and Apache Counties of Arizona by actively acquiring, storing and distributing large quantities of wholesome and nutritious foods to our network of community and strategic partners, combined with advocacy and educational initiatives that enhance lives.
