CHERRY HILL, N.J. and PORTLAND, Maine, Nov. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank^®, will donate a total of $537,500 in grants to food pantries from Maine to Florida to help meet the increasing need for food in local communities.

According to Feeding America, one in six people in the United States is food insecure. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, some areas along the eastern seaboard may experience significant food shortages, accelerating TD's planned donations.

"Food pantries do a tremendous job providing meals for people in need throughout the year, and the demand for food will be even greater in the coming weeks," said Elizabeth K. Warn, President of the TD Charitable Foundation. "We are pleased to be able to support food pantries across our footprint, especially during this time of year when the demand for food is greater."

The following food pantries, listed by state, will receive grants:

• Connecticut: Foodshare, Inc. of Hartford County
• Delaware: Food Bank of Delaware, Inc. - Kent, New Castle and Sussex Counties
• Florida: Feeding South Florida, Inc. and Salvation Army of Broward County
• Maine: Preble Street - Cumberland and York Counties
• Maryland: Maryland Food Bank, Inc. - City of Baltimore
• Massachusetts: The Greater Boston Food Bank, Inc. and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Inc.
• New Hampshire: New Hampshire Food Bank - Hillsborough County
• New Jersey: Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Inc. - Southern Branch; Jewish Family and Children's Service of Greater Monmouth County; and St. Paul's Community Development Corporation - Paterson
• New York: Food Bank of the Hudson Valley and Salvation Army - Eastern Territory (West Nyack)
• North Carolina: Manna Food Bank, Inc. - Asheville
• Pennsylvania: Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley, Inc.
• Rhode Island: Rhode Island Community Food Bank Association - Kent and Providence Counties
• South Carolina: Harvest Hope Food Bank - Columbia
• Vermont: Vermont Food Bank - Chittenden County
• Virginia: Food for Others, Inc. - Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun Counties
• Washington, DC: Capital Area Food Bank

A staunch commitment to active involvement in the local community is a vital element of the TD Bank philosophy. TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank^® and the TD Charitable Foundation provide support to affordable housing, financial literacy and education, and environmental initiatives, many of which focus on improving the welfare of children and families.

About the TD Charitable Foundation
The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank N.A., which operates as TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank^®, and is one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. The TD Charitable Foundation's mission is to serve the individuals, families and businesses in all the communities where TD Bank operates, having made $98.2 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002. The Foundation's areas of focus are affordable housing, financial literacy and education, and the environment. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including an online grant application, is available at www.TDBank.com.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank^®
TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing nearly 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at nearly 1,300 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth^®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and Portland, Maine. To learn more, visit www.tdbank.com. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDMoneyLoungeUS and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank is one of the few banks in the world rated Aaa by Moody's and trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD." To learn more, visit www.td.com.

SOURCE TD Charitable Foundation