ExxonMobil will help provide about 1 million meals to Houston-area residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through $250,000 in contributions to local food banks.

The Houston Food Bank will receive $200,000, including $50,000 worth of gasoline gift cards for use at Exxon- and Mobil-branded retail stations to help deliver food to those in need. The Montgomery County Food Bank will receive $50,000 from the company, which has a long history of support for the community organizations.

“We value the important roles the Houston and Montgomery County food banks are playing in supplying food to vulnerable populations in the Houston region during these difficult times,” said Suzanne McCarron, vice president of public and government affairs at ExxonMobil. “We hope our contributions will help their efforts and those who need assistance as our community pulls together to defeat COVID-19.”

The Houston Food Bank is working with hundreds of nonprofit agencies in the area to feed children, families and senior citizens facing hardship as a result of COVID-19.

“Hundreds of thousands of people count on Houston Food Bank and its partners, and this number has heightened significantly as the COVID-19 situation developed and continues,” said Brian Greene, president and chief executive officer of Houston Food Bank.

“We provide essential services and will continue to do so to meet the demand of the community, but we cannot do it alone. This generous donation from ExxonMobil will allow us to provide food for children, senior citizens and families, including the most vulnerable, those who don’t have the means to have reserves of food and other necessities. We thank ExxonMobil for being an amazing partner, especially in this unprecedented time of need.”

The Montgomery County Food Bank is also seeing a significant spike in demand for food and is working with more than 60 partner agencies, local independent school districts and senior adult partner complexes to ensure safe distribution in this time of need.

“We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the generous donation from ExxonMobil,” said Allison Hulett, president and chief executive officer at the Montgomery County Food Bank. “Tens of thousands of people are looking to us for hunger relief during this challenging time. We are so thankful for their support so we might add a measure of stability to those affected in the form of their next meal.”

ExxonMobil, which has about 11,000 employees living and working the greater Houston area, remains focused on keeping its workforce safe and healthy to maintain its operations and maximize production of materials critical to the global response.

The company is the leading U.S. producer of isopropyl alcohol which is used to manufacture hand sanitizer, and also produces polypropylene, which is used to make protective masks and face shields.

ExxonMobil is also working with the Global Center for Medical Innovation to design and support the manufacturing of reusable shields and masks for health care workers.