RI Food Bank Receives $1M from Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce

Taylor Swift gives Rhode Island a wedding gift

RI Community Food Bank

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank today announced a first-of-its-kind gift from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. The $1 million donation, one of several hunger relief donations given by the couple nationwide, will allow the Food Bank to purchase more food for more Rhode Island families, and will support its 137 member agencies working on the frontlines of hunger in Rhode Island. 

“We are incredibly grateful to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce for their extraordinarily generous and unexpected gift,” said Melissa Cherney, CEO of the RI Community Food Bank. “As the need across our communities continues to grow, this $1 million donation will go a long way in helping us purchase and distribute the nutritious, culturally appropriate food that Rhode Islanders deserve. I hope their gift inspires others; it has certainly inspired us.”

The timing of this gift is particularly appreciated by the Food Bank team. Summer is typically a slower time of year for food donations, which means a greater demand for food purchasing to keep shelves stocked at food pantries across the state.

Feeding America and Harvesters, a regional food bank serving Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri – including Kansas City – were two of many food banks that received donations from Swift and Kelce this week.

“Gifts like this are a powerful reminder of the good we can do with the support of our community. This act of generosity shows that, together, we can meet this moment and truly eliminate hunger in our state,” added Cherney. 

Founded in 1982, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to improve the quality of life for all Rhode Islanders by advancing solutions to the problem of hunger. The Food Bank serves as the central food distribution hub across a statewide network of 137 member agencies. Through donations, federal programs, and community partnerships, in 2025, the Food Bank distributed over 18.6 million pounds of food, 4.5 million pounds of which was fresh produce. The RI Community Food Bank is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. For more information, visit www.rifoodbank.org.