Food banks and food pantries responded nimbly and quickly to an unprecedented increase in demand and provided assistance to at least 60 million Americans in 2020, says guest columnist Craig Gundersen.

The pandemic has accelerated the emergence of a number of innovations in food banks and pantries and encouraged client-centered practices like trauma-informed services, mobile and delivery options, say guest columnists Caitlin Caspi and Marlene Schwartz.

Going to a food pantry more than once a month, rather than once a month or less, is linked with a higher-quality diet, says guest columnist Heather Eicher-Miller.

The online platform used at the Mitzvah Food Program's food pantry was built with tools to help encourage healthy eating and easy adherence to dietary or religious preferences, says Brian Gralnick.

Feeding America says demand on food banks since March has increased an average of 50% and it is estimating members will need $1.4 billion to keep pace with the exploding need. But some local food banks say donations have started to decline.

The program, a collaboration of many organizations, is feeding about 700 of the city’s most vulnerable families every week.

Penn Asian Senior Services serves the needs of Asian American seniors impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through its new PASSi Kitchen Xpress service.

Includes updates from the Barra Foundation, the Douty Foundation, the Foundation for Delaware County, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, PHL COVID-19 Fund, and the Samuel S. Fels Fund.