CCFB Receives Gift from the Michael & Nancy Pia Foundation Fund to Support Fresh Food Programs
Chester County Food Bank is pleased to announce a donation from the Michael & Nancy Pia Foundation Fund through the Chester County Community Foundation. The funds will be used to improve access to affordable, healthy, local foods through the Chester County Food Bank’s Fresh2You Mobile Market.
The generous monetary donation will be used to purchase a customized refrigerated market-style cargo truck. After serving our communities for six seasons, the first Fresh2You truck no longer has the capacity to visit markets on a regular basis. Historically, Fresh2You has operated with two vehicles. The new vehicle will enable CCFB to provide a market at two locations simultaneously with the goal to increase the number of Fresh2You participants by expanding our number of markets.
“Michael and Nancy are well known for their charitable giving in the community, and their focus on children and families experiencing homelessness and food insecurity,” said Andrea Youndt, CEO of the Chester County Food Bank. “We are so very grateful for their investment in the Chester County Food Bank in support of our mission to ensure access to healthy food.”
The Fresh2You Mobile Market travels throughout Chester County providing fresh foods from local farmers paired with education on healthy cooking to communities with limited food access. The “farm stand on wheels” was established in 2015 and serves over 2,500 people each year. To make fresh local food accessible to all, Fresh2You accepts all forms of payment including SNAP (food stamps) and Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) checks. Purchases made with SNAP or FMNP are matched with CCFB’s Veggie Bucks, a form of currency that can be used on future purchases of fruits and vegetables. There are additional financial incentives including a senior and veteran discount. Fresh2You Mobile Market provides about 60,000 pounds of food each season with over 50 varieties of produce.
“We are delighted to be a part of this collaborative partnership that provides such a valuable resource to our community,” said Nancy Pia. “We are inspired by the work of the Chester County Food Bank to help alleviate food insecurity, and we’re proud to help them deliver healthy food (and hope) to our neighbors.”
Fresh2You also partners with eight health clinics to provide Fruit and Vegetable Prescriptions to individuals screening positive for food insecurity by their healthcare providers. Participants can redeem their ‘prescription’ at any Fresh2You market location and shop for foods that meet their personal and cultural preferences.
About Michael & Nancy Pia
Michael Pia has worked his entire career in the family’s mushroom farming business, South Mill Champs, which has grown to be the third-largest mushroom producer in North America. Nancy is an educator, having taught in both local and inner-city schools. She is also an artist and published writer. In 2002, the Pias established the Michael and Nancy Pia Foundation to formalize their charitable giving. The Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of children and supports organizations and programs focused on those areas. In 2018, the Pias established the Michael & Nancy Pia Foundation Fund through the Chester County Community Foundation to expand the reach of their charitable giving. The Fund is focused on specific areas relating to children and families: homelessness, poverty, and hunger; health and mental well-being; and education.
The Michael and Nancy Pia Fund is a fund of the Chester County Community Foundation. A copy of the Chester County Community Foundation’s official registration and financial information may be obtained by calling the PA Dept. of State at 1-800-732-0999 (toll free in PA). Registration does not imply endorsement. EIN 23-2773822.