Within the run-up to the annual USPS Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Might 9, and World Hunger Day on Might 28, REIT.com is showcasing how some Nareit members are channeling their experience, tapping their worker networks, and upholding philanthropic commitments to their communities to assist fight meals insecurity.
In line with the newest USDA figures, 13.7% (18.3 million) of U.S. households had been meals insecure at a while throughout 2024. The variety of meals insecure households with kids is even larger, at 18.4%—making the efforts of REITs and others to deal with the difficulty particularly vital.
REITs know that when folks and communities thrive, everybody advantages—creating lasting worth and fueling innovation. By means of accountable enterprise practices, REITs are assembly the wants of their workforce, tenants, and neighbors, serving to to construct vibrant locations the place communities can flourish.
Americold
For former grocer and present Americold Realty Belief (NYSE: COLD) President, Americas, Bryan Verbarendse, three key elements decide whether or not somebody lives in meals insecurity: provide, affordability, and entry.
In america, constraints on meals provide are usually not a difficulty, he says, so affordability is basically the subsequent space the place affect could be made. “Plenty of that has to do with, can we make a extremely environment friendly meals provide chain that works in a means that may assist decrease the expense to get meals into communities and into places the place they want it,” he says. “I believe we do a great job as an business in that area.”
Relating to the third pillar, accessibility, Verbarendse says that’s the place Americold’s experience actually comes into play. Not solely does the REIT have tons of of places internationally the place it’s embedded in communities, however it additionally has the mandatory temperature-controlled infrastructure to maneuver items shortly to the place they’re wanted, whereas sustaining meals high quality and lowering spoilage.
These structural attributes make sure that Americold is well-placed to lend help in areas the place its experience is most wanted.
