A Brown County food redistributor is teaming up with the federal government to feed the hungry. DOT Foods announced on Wednesday that they are teaming up with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to identify and donate food to disaster relief agencies around the country.
According to a press release from DOT, they have donated more than $10 million worth of food for various food drives and distributions around the country since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March. DOT says that they had more food than the local food banks and pantries surrounding its 12 U.S. distribution centers could take so they turned to FEMA for a partnership.
Suzy Parn, the head of DOT’s corporate charitable program, says in the press release that it has opened a nationwide network with agencies at the forefront of disaster relief to help make a national impact to areas in urgent need.
To date, DOT has provided over 6 million pounds of product to food banks and disaster relief organizations across the U.S. in 2020, with ongoing efforts continuing into the new year.
To help DOT transport the donations, FEMA connected the company with Uber Freight. As part of its initiative to donate transportation for 10 million pounds of goods for disaster relief, Uber Freight took care of delivering food from DOT Foods’ Mt. Sterling headquarters to nonprofits across the country. American Logistics Aid Network, a supply chain non-profit, is also helping FEMA and DOT connect with carriers which will donate their transportation to take the food where it is needed.
DOT also continues to support its local food banks and charities with recent sizable donations made to the Central Illinois Foodbank and the Two Rivers Pantries of Brown and Pike Counties.