BJ’s Wholesale Club Donates $50,000 to FeedMore WNY, $5,000 to Carter Cares

BJ’s Wholesale Club donated $50,000 to FeedMore WNY on Tuesday while simultaneously presenting a $5,000 gift to Carter Cares, the charity organization run by Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DeWayne Carter.

The donations from BJ’s come ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday season, a time of year that throws into stark relief the already severe food insecurity faced by many Western New Yorkers.

Emily McCann, community relations for BJ’s Wholesale Club, said the company’s purpose is taking care of the families that depend on them.

“With food insecurity on the rise across the country, including here in Buffalo, these kinds of partnerships are more important than ever,” McCann said. “We’re very excited to partner with FeedMore WNY.”

Collin Bishop, FeedMore WNY’s vice president of external affairs, called BJ’s donations “incredible,” especially this close to the holiday season.

“As we’re looking to purchase additional food for the holidays, it’s such a meaningful thing to have those traditional foods on the table,” Bishop said. “It’s a time of year when we need those additional funds to make that possible. This will make a big difference in what we do to provide for our partner agencies in our four-county service area.”

Carter Cares, established by Carter after he began his NFL career in 2024, empowers young athletes and encourages community youth mentorship while offering leadership workshops and skill-development football camps.

Carter said the money his organization received from BJ’s will help provide food assistance for families in the Buffalo area.

“They call Buffalo the City of Good Neighbors, and they show that day in and day out,” Carter said. “This donation is such a blessing.”

Carter said he’s happy to lend his time and resources to people and organizations already providing help to the Western New York community.

“That’s the coolest thing for me,” he said. “I love working with people who are actually involved.”

Bishop said donations like those given by BJ’s grow even more important as food costs continue to rise and more people need help finding food.

“We’re always in need of additional funding to keep buying the amount of food we need,” Bishop said.