Weis Markets is responding to the recent surge in food pantry usage due to the now-ended federal government shutdown.
Weis made a $35,000 donation to CHOW, The Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse which supplies a network of food pantries across Broome County. As part of Weis Markets’ 18th Annual Fight Hunger Campaign, it donates 4 months worth of customer roundups at the register plus a corporate donation.
Community Relations Specialist Chad Hummel says Weis typically donates to CHOW around Christmas time, but given the current food insecurity, Weis felt a sense of urgency to make its donation sooner.
Community Relations Specialist Chad Hummel says “This year we’re actually releasing funds early because of the need being where it’s at. We know it’s really high, we know that food banks and pantries are getting hit very hard. So the company as a whole decided we wanted to release these funds early. So this is just the first three months of roundups on top of a corporate donation.”
Hummel says through the Fight Hunger Campaign, Weis has donated about $555,000 to 18 food pantries across its seven-state market area.
He says Weis is committed to helping bridge the gap in food insecurity across communities it serves and in December it will be donating the November roundup money to CHOW as well.