October 24, 2008 — The Greater Boston Food Bank, which feeds more than 320,000 people annually in nine counties in eastern Massachusetts has received a $1 million gift from the State Street Foundation for its Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope capital campaign to build a new food distribution center in Boston.

The gift is the eighth donation of $1 million or more to the $35 million capital campaign, which has now raised more than $25 million towards the goal. The money raised will pay for a 117,000 square foot warehouse facility to give The Greater Boston Food Bank expanded capacity to handle up to 50 million pounds of food a year, or room for an estimated 15 years of growth.

“This truly phenomenal gift shows that State Street understands how people are hurting in the community, and how investing in this project will help more people get the food they need,“ said Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank.

In recognition of the gift, the volunteer area in the new distribution center will be named after the State Street Foundation. Approximately 16,000 people volunteer at The Food Bank each year.

The State Street Foundation, the charitable grantmaking arm of State Street Corporation, offers grant support to initiatives that bring long-term solutions to important community issues such as employability, hunger relief, financial literacy and homelessness, among others. Founded in 1977, the Foundation has since given $130 million in grants to charitable organizations in communities where State Street has a business presence.

The Greater Boston Food Bank distributes nearly 30 million pounds of food and grocery products annually to more than 600 hunger-relief agencies in a dedicated partnership to end hunger in eastern Massachusetts. The Food Bank serves 83,000 people a week.