Food Bank of the Southern Tier is conducting its “Check Out Hunger” campaign at numerous stores in the area. This hunger-relief effort, which began Jan. 23, is the food bank’s largest annual fundraiser.
Participating stores through the month of February include The Foodmart in Corning; Jubilee Foods in Horseheads; Minier’s Market in Big Flats; Tops Friendly Markets in Bath, Elmira, Horseheads, Ithaca, Lansing and Owego; and Weis Market in Elmira.
In March, “Check Out Hunger” will be conducted at Chase-Pitkin Home and Garden in Horseheads; Manley’s Mighty Marts in Binghamton, Endicott, Endwell, Glen Aubrey, Harpursville, Ithaca, Johnson City, Vestal and Windsor; and Wegmans Food Markets in Corning, Elmira, Hornell, Ithaca, and Johnson City.
Shoppers at these businesses can contribute to the food bank by having the cashier scan a coupon valued at $1.47, which is then added to their grocery bill. This amount represents what would allow Food Bank of the Southern Tier to acquire and deliver enough food to help feed a family for a day.
The food bank — a member agency of Catholic Charities of the Southern Tier — acquires, stores and distributes food and food-related products through a network of more than 200 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other nonprofit organizations. The bank’s service area covers Broome, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga and Tompkins counties.