Greater Good Charities and actor Chris Pratt awarded nearly $650,000 to 21 nonprofit organizations — including a $10,000 grant to the Edmonds Food Bank — after successful Feed Thy Neighbor initiative to combat food insecurity across the U.S. that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Feed Thy Neighbor was created as a result of the dual crisis effecting those trying to battle food insecurity that was caused by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Liz Baker, CEO of Greater Good Charities. “First there is a meal shortage for food banks serving our most vulnerable; meanwhile, these same frontline groups are experiencing a decline in donations.”

Feed Thy Neighbor was conceptualized by Pratt and made possible by The Hunger Site by GreaterGood, 12 Tomatoes, and Greater Good Charities. Pratt donated $100,000 in matching funds and encouraged people to donate for a chance to meet him via Zoom. He also hosted a star-studded New Year’s Eve Instagram Live that included Robert Downey Jr., Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Foxx and Bryce Dallas Howard.

How did such a donation come to Edmonds? Food Bank Executive Director Casey Davis said Greater Good Charities at one point had contacted the food bank about a potential connection to its annual Empty Bowl event. While that opportunity didn’t work out, Greater Good approached the food bank later about participating in the Feed Thy Neighbor initiative.

Pratt also has ties to the area. He is from Lake Stevens and is the former husband of another famous actor — Edmond-Woodway High School grad Anna Faris.

“One in four kids in America this year may not know where their next meal is coming from,” Pratt said.“ The need is real. People are in pain.”

The Hunger Site by GreaterGood and 12 Tomatoes covered all credit card processing fees so that 100% of every dollar given helps, and Greater Good Charities granted out 100% of the funding received.

Half of all donations received from the Feed Thy Neighbor campaign went to Feeding America to help address the meal shortage that is hitting our nation’s food banks. The other half are provided as cash grants to front-line hunger relief organizations in areas hardest hit by the economic impacts of COVID-19 to ensure they are able to sustain their operations to help people who need it most.

To see a complete list of the 21 grant recipients, visit feedthyneighbor.greatergood.com.

You can watch a video featuring Edmonds Food Bank representatives Pat Shields and Casey Davis below: