Walmart, food pantries partner to feed the Valley during virus outbreak
With the need greater than ever due to the coronavirus crisis, organizations that feed the Valley’s hungry are once again partnering with Walmart in the “Fight Hunger. Spark Change” campaign.
Job disruptions, lost wages, and sudden expenses mean that even more families and individuals need the food provided by the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley and the Community Warehouse of Mercer County.
The “Fight Hunger. Spark Change.” campaign is accepting online donations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone is encouraged to donate to help meet the increased need. The campaign will also run in-store and online from April 13 – May 11, 2020.
There are two ways to participate – donating on Feeding America’s website or purchasing a participating item in-store or online. Donate at www.FeedingAmerica.org/Walmart or www.FeedingAmerica.org/SamsClub.
For every participating product purchased at U.S. Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs or on Walmart.com and SamsClub.com during the campaign, the supplier will donate the monetary equivalent of at least one meal ($0.10) on behalf of a Feeding America member food bank, up to applicable limits.
Second Harvest Food Bank is reporting a surge in demand for emergency food assistance in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties during the pandemic.
Member agencies are reporting over a 30 percent increase in the number of people in line for food. Since the onset of the pandemic, Second Harvest has increased its distribution by over 1 million pounds of food compared to last year.
The Community Food Warehouse of Mercer County supports 33 member agencies distributing food to over 4,200 households across the county each month.
Second Harvest provides food to those in need in the tri-county area through 160 programs provided by hunger-relief organizations, which include church pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, shelters for battered women, and school pantries.
In 2019, the Food Bank distributed a record 11.5 million pounds of food, including 3.4 million pounds of produce.
