NBA Star Charles Barkley Gives $50K to Mom’s Pantry Food Bank
Mom’s Pantry Food Bank in Phoenix received a $50,000 gift through Turner Sports from Charles Barkley, an American basketball icon, commentator, and former All-Star Power Forward for the Phoenix Suns.
“Words can’t express how excited we are to receive a gift of this magnitude from Mr. Barkley,” said Pam Trudeau, the executive director of Mom’s Pantry. “Mr. Barkley’s donation will help provide food for thousands of people including veterans, retired folks, single moms, homeless and those struggling with job loss or high medical bills. We can’t thank him enough for his generosity to our families, especially during these times.”
Since March, Mom’s Pantry has given away more food than it did in all of 2019. Over 360,000 pounds of food have passed through its doors and more than 35,000 individuals have already been fed by this neighborhood food bank this year. With the loss of jobs and the threat of eviction, Mom’s Pantry has experienced a 26 percent increase in guest count each week.
Mom’s Pantry is located on North Cave Creek Road in a low-income area whose residents have experienced additional hardship due to repercussions of the pandemic. Many families lost significant income due to the closure of businesses in the food, hospitality, travel and entertainment industries.
“This donation comes at a perfect time as we are gearing up for the fall and winter months,” Trudeau said. “Additionally, Mom’s Pantry is in the middle of a matching funds drive. Our goal is to raise $20,000 to match the $20,000 fund set up by board members and other major supporters. This campaign is in lieu of fundraising events that had to be cancelled due to social distancing requirements. We invite the public to participate by donating to the ongoing work of Mom’s Pantry in our community.”
