All Faiths Food Bank Awarded GoodUse Grant

March 12, 2021 – Sarasota

All Faiths Food Bank is pleased to be able to make its operations more energy-efficient and sustainable while diverting critical funds to its core mission of feeding the hungry. All Faiths was recently awarded a Southface Institute GoodUse grant of $27,000 – which the organization matched – to make numerous energy upgrades.

Some of the improvements All Faiths made have included: window film that will greatly reduce heat and infrared light; the installation of automatic faucets and replacement of traditional toilets with low water models; the addition of UV and HEPA systems, which will improve safety for employees and volunteers and reduce stress on the air conditioning system; and the purchase and installation of low-wattage LED and fluorescent lights. 

“We are so grateful to be included as a recipient of a GoodUse grant this year,” said Sandra Frank, CEO of All Faiths Food Bank. “While the bulk of our funds have typically been allocated toward our core mission of hunger relief, we have been concerned for some time about our carbon footprint and considered achievable strategies to make our operations more energy efficient. Not only did we receive expert advice and education on sustainability from Southface Institute, every penny of the savings we will enjoy due to the improvements we made will be reinvested in our critical, lifesaving work.”

The grant – the first All Faiths has received from Southface Institute – was facilitated by Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. Environmental stewardship is a key focus area for Barancik Foundation.

“Smart, sustainable practices and investments today can lead to big returns tomorrow,” says Teri A Hansen, President|CEO of Barancik Foundation. “Not only are organizations like All Faiths reducing their footprint and helping our planet, they are freeing up resources to redirect towards their mission.”

When All Faiths expanded its building over the course of the 2017-2018 fiscal year, energy efficiency and sustainability were a priority. The organization utilized motion sensor lighting and lights on timers, LED lighting throughout, film on windows, sun-blocking landscaping and strategically placed trees, electricity-powered refrigerated trailers, white reflective roofing, extended awnings to block the sun, and more. 

All Faiths was one of just 19 nonprofit organizations nationwide to be named a GoodUse grantee this year. The GoodUse program guides nonprofits through resource efficiency upgrades to reduce environmental impact and save money that can be reinvested into core programming. With these upgrades, the organizations can save energy and water, improve indoor air quality, install modernized and efficient technology, reduce carbon emissions, and lower utility costs. 

According to the Southface Institute, GoodUse is especially important to the nonprofit community because organizations are focused on programs and the people they serve, often operating on a small budget, frequently occupying older buildings that waste energy, water and other resources, pulling money away from much-needed services. Nonprofit buildings contribute approximately 20% of the primary energy consumption in the United States, so the capacity for savings, both financially and environmentally, is significant.

To learn more about All Faiths, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org or call 941-379-6333.