YMCA of the USA and Instacart Partner to Expand Food Access and Strengthen Community Resilience Nationwide

CHICAGO, Sept. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As communities nationwide observe Hunger Action Month, YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), the national resource office for the 2,600+ YMCAs across the country, is excited to announce a new national collaboration with Instacart, designed to expand equitable access to food, strengthen community resilience, and support local Y initiatives across the country. Through this two-year collaboration, Instacart will advance critical Y programs focused on disaster response, food security, and community engagement.

“At the Y, we believe everyone deserves access to the resources they need to thrive,” said Stacey McDaniel, Director of Anti-Hunger Strategy at Y-USA. “Through this collaboration with Instacart, we’re able to strengthen our work in communities nationwide, ensuring families have access to nutritious food and support during times of both stability and crisis.”

The collaboration will deliver support to local Ys through multiple key initiatives:

• Disaster Response: During natural disasters, Instacart and Y-USA will work together to deploy Instacart’s Community Carts, a grocery delivery program that brings food directly to impacted communities when traditional supply chains break down, to affected Y locations. Building on the program’s activation during the 2025 LA wildfires, when Community Carts supported nearly 17 LA-based Ys and facilitated the donation of 71,000 items from customers across all 50 states, the partnership will distribute up to four grants to local Ys supporting communities affected by natural disasters.
• Food Security Programming: Instacart will be providing funding to support Y-USA’s food access programs, including providing Instacart technology to increase the Y’s access to nutritious food. In 2026 we’ll be focused on five markets: California, New York, Colorado, Florida, and Delaware. Up to ten local Ys will receive support for meal distribution and food security programs, with particular focus on critical periods like summer and back-to-school, when food insecurity often increases for families. Five additional grant markets are planned for 2027.
• Community Engagement and Volunteerism: The collaboration will offer opportunities for Instacart employees to engage directly with local Ys through volunteer events, including food pantry activations and community giveaways. In 2026, volunteer events will launch in two cities.

“Expanding access to food is essential to our mission at Instacart, which is why we’re proud to collaborate with Y-USA to help address food insecurity and support communities across the country,” said Casey Aden-Wansbury, Vice President, Head of Global Public Policy, Instacart. “The Y shows up for families every day — during disasters, over the summer when kids lose access to school meals, and in the quiet moments when budgets are stretched thin. By combining the Y’s community trust and on-the-ground presence with Instacart’s technology and reach, we will meet immediate needs for families while also investing in long-term solutions.”

Laura Anderson, Instacart’s Director of Social Impact, will share more details about the new partnership at Y-USA’s General Assembly on September 17 in New Orleans. For more information on Instacart’s commitment to expanding access and empowering communities, visit instacart.com/company/impact.

About the Y
Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships, and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations, the Y’s goal is to improve overall health and well- being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide. Learn more at ymca.org.

About Instacart
Instacart is a leading grocery technology company that partners with more than 2,200 retail banners – representing nearly 100,000 stores – to transform how people shop for the groceries they need from the retailers they trust, while creating flexible earning opportunities for shoppers. Through the Instacart Marketplace, Instacart Enterprise platform, and Instacart Ads ecosystem, the company powers ecommerce, fulfillment, in-store technology, AI offerings, and advertising for partners. For more information, visit www.instacart.com/company. Maplebear Inc. is the registered corporate name of Instacart.

Contact:
YMCA of the USA
312-419-8417
media@Ymca.net