Utah Food Bank Sees Shortfall on Crucial Items With One Month
to go of Summer Business Food and Fund Drive
Businesses play vital role in filling the gap during critical summer months
SALT LAKE CITY - July 28, 2014 - Summer is a great time of need at Utah Food Bank - demand is high when children are out of school without access to school meal programs, but donations are also often at their lowest as many families focus on their own summer activities. Utah Food Bank announced it is seeing an inventory shortfall in some crucial items: peanut butter, canned meats, and canned fruits. The organization's annual Summer Business Food and Fund Drive runs through the end of August, so there is still time for local businesses to engage employees and customers on behalf of Utahns facing hunger statewide.
"Most people look forward to getting out and having fun in the summer, but for some people in the state, it's the most difficult time of the year to feed their families because children are not receiving meals at school," said Ginette Bott, Utah Food Bank chief development officer. "That's why each summer we depend so heavily on organizations that host food and fund drives to help feed those in need in their communities."
Second-time sponsor Les Olson Company knows how important gifts of food, time, and money can be during this critical time. In addition to sponsoring the Summer Business Food and Fund Drive, their employees have been actively engaged through their own food and fund drive in the workplace, as well as volunteered at Utah Food Bank for the past four years. "Utah Food Bank fills an immensely valuable role in the community feeding Utah's hungry families, and we challenge other businesses to join us in supporting the Summer Food Drive," said James Olson, co-CEO of Les Olson Company. "Its' not too late to put together an effort to collect food or cash.
"We would also like to invite our customers and the public to drop off canned fruit, peanut butter, tuna fish and other canned meats at our locations in throughout Utah," added Olson. For addresses visit http://lesolson.com/contact/locations/.
Progrexion is another local company making an impact by participating in the drive. "I was a recipient of Utah Food Bank's services when I was a child, and I am now so pleased to be a catalyst to collect cash and food for the organization as an adult," said Celeste Edmunds-Brady, public relations director for Progrexion. "This is the second year that Progrexion has sponsored a corporate-wide event that seeks donations of food, payroll deductions, and volunteer time for local food pantries, and we hope to top our contribution from last year of $72,000.
"The trick is to incentivize employees with rewards that are relevant to their situations, whether it's offering dress down days for agents or prize drawings and T-shirts for corporate employees," added Edmunds-Brady.
Businesses and organizations of all shapes and sizes can join in the Summer Business Food and Fund Drive by registering at www.UtahFoodBank.org/food-drive.Utah Food Bank will help with the planning process.
About Utah Food Bank
Utah Food Bank provides food to a statewide network of 130 emergency food pantries and agencies. Last fiscal year, Utah Food Bank distributed 36.3 million pounds of food and goods, the equivalent of approximately 28.4 million meals for families and individuals in need. Utah Food Bank also served over 202,000 Kids Cafe meals, delivered more than 41,000 food boxes and filled more than 69,000 kids' backpacks for hunger-free weekends. For more information about Utah Food Bank, visit www.utahfoodbank.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UtahFoodBank and Twitter at www.twitter.com/UtahFoodBank.
