FeedMore WNY urges community to help ‘Check Out Hunger’

Area retailers participate in largest annual fundraiser for hunger-relief nonprofit.
Published: January 22, 2021

Western New Yorkers will be able to help feed their hungry neighbors while shopping for groceries at area retailers now and into the coming months. Dash’s Market, Lexington Cooperative Market, The Market in the Square, Tops Friendly Markets and Wegmans Food Markets will be holding their annual Check Out Hunger campaigns to support FeedMore WNY’s programs and services. During Check Out Hunger, customers will be able to make a donation of $2, $3 or $5 at the register in order to feed struggling infants, children, families, veterans and older adults throughout Western New York.

The retailers’ respective Check Out Hunger campaigns will take place as follows:

• Tops Friendly Markets – January 24 through February 13, 2021
• Wegmans Food Markets – February 1 through February 28, 2021
• The Market in the Square – February 7 through March 6, 2021
• Dash’s Market – February 14 through March 6, 2021
• Lexington Cooperative Markets – April 1 through April 30, 2021

Members of the Premier Group also will hold their Check Out Hunger campaigns in 2021. Campaign dates and additional details soon will be available on FeedMore WNY’s website and social media platforms. FeedMore WNY is grateful to Price Rite for holding its Check Out Hunger campaign in late 2020.

Check Out Hunger is the largest annual fundraiser for FeedMore WNY and is critical to the continuation of the organization’s mission to provide dignity, hope and a brighter future to Western New York neighbors in need. As FeedMore WNY responds to the increased need for food assistance as the result of the ongoing pandemic, the support of Check Out Hunger is needed now more than ever. Approximately one in six individuals in FeedMore WNY’s four-county service area may be at risk of hunger due to the COVID-19 health crisis, and hunger leaders across the nation anticipate the increased food insecurity levels to last for the next three to five years.

“Hundreds of thousands of people throughout Western New York are currently struggling with hunger due to the devastating pandemic. This includes hardworking families who have experienced job loss or work hours slashed due to coronavirus, children unsure of where their meals will come from when they are not in school and older community members who are afraid or unable to leave their homes to access nutritious food. FeedMore WNY continues to do everything in our power to nourish our vulnerable neighbors, but we need the community’s continued support to fulfill our mission,” Tara A. Ellis, president and CEO of FeedMore WNY, said. “We are so grateful to our retail partners for holding their Check Out Hunger campaigns, and we encourage the Western New York community to participate in this critical fundraiser.”

In 2020, FeedMore WNY distributed enough food to provide nearly 16 million meals to those in need – approximately 4 million meals more than what was provided in 2019. Check Out Hunger proceeds will go directly to FeedMore WNY and will help the organization procure and deliver more nutritious food and continue its vital hunger-relief programs.