PITTSBURGH, PA (Julio 15, 2026) Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (the Food Bank) is announcing a new partnership with The Gismondi Foundation to create The Gismondi Food Bank Academy. This educational hub will provide Food Bank partners with tools, resources and opportunities designed to strengthen their ability to serve our neighbors in need.
“Our Foundation has always been focused on supporting programs that address the basic necessities of those in need, i.e., food, shelter, clothing healthcare and education. I can’t think of anything that is a more basic need than to provide food security for our residents in southwestern Pennsylvania,” said John Gismondi.
From food pantries to hot meal programs, 75% of the food from the Food Bank is distributed through 1,000 partners who are intimately caring for our neighbors across 11 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. Supporting this local charitable food network is a key part of the Food Bank’s mission, especially as demand for food assistance hits an all-time high.
“We are thrilled to see The Gismondi Food Bank Academy come to life,” said Charlese McKinney, chief program officer of the Food Bank. “Investing in partner learning and capacity building strengthens today’s response and creates stronger pathways for neighbors to access essential resources, build stability and pursue new opportunities.”
The Foundation’s partnership with the Food Bank will provide three years of acceleration funding to launch The Gismondi Food Bank Academy including a reimagined learning model, expanded curriculum and annual partner conference. In addition, funds will provide ongoing annual support for the Food Bank’s partner learning and capacity building efforts through The Gismondi Food Bank Academy Fund.
“We are excited to launch The Gismondi Food Bank Academy because we are now able to supply local food pantries and partners with a comprehensive bundle of educational courses and materials directly related to what they do on a daily basis. This will enable them to improve the quality and efficiency of the service they provide to their patrons which, in the end, is what everyone wants to achieve,” said Gismondi.
About The Gismondi Foundation
Created by Pittsburgh attorney John P. Gismondi and his wife Lisa, The Gismondi Foundation provides grants to non-profit organizations that help those in need in the Pittsburgh region, especially those whose mission is to address the basic necessities in life: food, housing, education, medical care, and family support.
About Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is a nonprofit organization that distributes food for more than 53 million meals annually across 11 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania through a network of more than 1,000 agencies, partners and programs. The Food Bank was founded in 1980 and is a member of Feeding America, the leading domestic hunger-relief charity in the U.S.