Valley Bank on Thursday announced a strategic donation of over $200,000 to a network of 12 major food banks, reinforcing its commitment to community stability at a time when federal assistance programs are under increasing pressure.
The new funding is aimed at bridging the gap for households navigating rising grocery costs and recent fluctuations in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The initiative spans Valley’s six-state footprint, including New Jersey, New York, Florida, Alabama, California and Illinois.
As a regional bank with approximately $63 billion in assets, Valley has made food security a central pillar of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy. The bank’s leadership emphasized that financial health is inextricably linked to basic needs.
“At Valley, we understand how critical food security is to the health and stability of the communities we serve,” Bernadette Mueller, Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility said. “Our nonprofit partners are on the front lines every day… we are proud to stand beside them during this time of heightened need.”
The $200,000 grant will be distributed among the following organizations, each serving as a critical hub for regional hunger relief:
| Region | Primary Food Bank Partners |
| New Jersey | Community FoodBank of New Jersey |
| New York | City Harvest, Island Harvest, Feeding Westchester |
| Florida | Feeding Tampa Bay, Second Harvest of Central FL, Feeding South Florida |
| Alabama | Community Food Bank of Central AL, Heart of Alabama Food Bank |
| California | L.A. Regional Food Bank, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley |
| Illinois | Greater Chicago Food Depository |
These organizations are currently facing dual challenges: a decrease in federal commodity donations and a significant increase in the cost of purchasing food independently. For example, some regional food banks have reported up to a 21% cut in federal food supplies this year, making private corporate donations like Valley’s more vital than ever.
Valley’s commitment to hunger relief is part of a broader community investment strategy. In 2024 alone, the bank invested more than $2.5 billion in community development, including:
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$5.6 Million+ in total charitable giving.
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12,100+ employee volunteer hours.
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Support for One Million Meals, a campaign providing volunteer labor to sort and pack food for families.
The bank’s initiative reflects a “neighbor-helping-neighbor” philosophy, aiming to strengthen low-to-moderate income (LMI) neighborhoods where the impact of food insecurity is most acute.
