Dallas, TX, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) today announced a partnership with the team at Shiftsmart, effectively employing workers from the hospitality industry who have suffered from lost income as a result of the Coronavirus’ impact on the economy; deploying them in place of traditional volunteers to help the Food Bank meet the need for food assistance in North Texas.
Funded through generous donations through the Get Shift Done for North Texas Fund at the Communities Foundation of Texas, this innovative solution will provide relief to those who are living paycheck to paycheck who have lost their income in the hospitality industry. It also provides much-needed assistance to the NTFB’s efforts in increased meal distribution during this time of uncertainty.
As the world has seen, the economic impact of the Coronavirus has been devastating to North Texans. This is especially true for people that work in the service or hospitality industry, as well as hourly workers.
“In our lifetime, we have never seen a crisis that has stunted an economy so quickly,” said Patrick Brandt, President of Shiftsmart. “We know that by closing restaurants and entertainment venues, there will be an immediate impact on people’s ability to care for their family. This will mean an increased need for the Food Bank and other non-profits. Our team wanted to create a way to support these workers while also supporting the critical mission of non-profits.”
This partnership allows for the Food Bank to get a dedicated workforce, organized by Shiftsmart, at a time where they are seeing an increased demand for food assistance.
“During times of uncertainty, it is important to come together to find a way to serve our neighbors in need,” said Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. “It will take innovation and collaboration to meet the needs for North Texans, and we expect these needs to continue to grow in the coming months. We are thankful to the team at Shiftsmart for this innovative platform that is helping people who have lost wages while allowing us to continue our critical work.”
Through this partnership, the NTFB and Shiftsmart will be able to serve more than 1 million meals per week to hungry North Texans. This change will go into full effect on March 23.
To learn more about the Food Bank’s response to this crisis please visit ntfb.org/covid19. For additional information about this initiative, visit ntfb.org/Shiftsmart
About the North Texas Food Bank
The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked nonprofit hunger-relief organization operating a state-of-the-art volunteer and distribution center in Plano- the Perot Family Campus. Last year, the Food Bank worked hard in partnership with member agencies from our Feeding Network to provide to almost 77 million nutritious meals across a diverse 13-county service area - this means more than 200,000 meals per day for hungry children, seniors, and families. But the need for hunger relief in North Texas is complex and in order to meet the need, the NTFB is working to increase our food distribution efforts. Our goal is to provide access to 92 million nutritious meals annually by 2025.
NTFB is a member of Feeding America, a national hunger-relief organization.
About Shiftsmart
Shiftsmart is a worker-centric online marketplace that connects today’s dynamic workforce with companies facing increasingly complex staffing requirements. By empowering workers with more hours, better pay, and greater opportunity, Shiftsmart creates a mutually beneficial labor ecosystem. With Shiftsmart, Workers build income, skills, and experience to become true micro-entrepreneurs. Companies can manage their own workforces and increase labor fulfillment with fast, convenient access to a large, always-connected global labor pool. Communities reduce poverty, increase productivity, and lower income volatility. Powered by cutting-edge technology, Shiftsmart executes shifts in 20 countries for leading edge employers including Google, Airbnb, HP, Chick-fil-A, and Deloitte. Shift how you work. Shift how you hire. Shift how jobs get done. www.shiftsmart.com