In just 10 days this spring, 88,000 people cast more than 2 million votes in support of their favorite causes. As a result, 100 communities in 34 states, including Rapid City, S.D., are getting an assist from State Farm®.
State Farm is proud to announce the Top 100 vote-getting causes that have won $25,000 grants to improve their communities. State Farm Neighborhood Assist is a crowd-sourced philanthropic program that empowers communities to identify issues in their neighborhoods. Non-profits affiliated with each of the top 100 causes receive grants to address them.
“Put a Fork in It,” a grant submitted by Fork Real Community Café Executive Director Rhonda Pearcy, is the local Rapid City winning cause to receive one of the one hundred $25,000 grants.
Fork Real Community Café is a non-profit organization created to impact some of Rapid City’s major societal challenges – food insecurity and hunger. As a former school teacher, Rhonda noticed her students were coming to school hungry. “Not acceptable,” was her reaction, and she decided to take action by leaving her teaching career to be a change-maker in the community.
Rhonda and her husband, David, opened Fork Real Community Café, a place where every person is invited to have a healthy, home-cooked meal regardless of his or her ability to pay. Since then, more than 10,000 ready-to-eat meals have been gifted to individuals and families in the ongoing effort to reduce hunger and improve food security.
Together, the Pearcys believe it takes a “village” to effect positive change in a community. That’s visible at Fork Real Community Café, where a team of regular staff and volunteers continue to serve their neighbors. The $25,000 State Farm grant award will help negate the rising costs of food and resources necessary to continue the ongoing love for the community.
“Research proves that hunger and food insecurity create stress, health issues, mental health concerns, and more,” shares Rhonda. “Fork Real Community Café provides an opportunity for anyone to dine in dignity with access to healthy meals. The Café also supports families that foster kids and maintains a mini-food bank accessible to anyone.”
“State Farm is happy to celebrate its 100th anniversary by providing 100 causes with grant money to help them address the needs in their communities,” said Rasheed Merritt, Assistant Vice President at State Farm. “We look forward to seeing the impact these $25,000 grants will have now and in the months to come.”
Four thousand cause submissions were accepted in February at www.neighborhoodassist.com. The State Farm Review Committee selected the Top 200 finalists and public voting determined the Top 100. In the eleven years of the program, nearly 500 causes have received a total of $12.5 million to enact positive change in their communities.
For a complete list of this year’s 100 winners, visit: www.neighborhoodassist.com.
About State Farm®
For 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been, and continues to be, to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and approximately 53,400 employees serve over 87 million policies and accounts – which includes auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies, and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats, and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 39 on the 2021 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit www.statefarm.com.