"Dump Hunger" to Celebrate Fifth Year by Filling Five Dump Trucks with Food

Western States CAT, Albertsons and Wells Fargo seek to raise 375,000 pounds of food for local food banks
By: Western States CAT
 
Jan. 7, 2013 - PRLog -- Western States CAT, Albertsons and Wells Fargo seek to raise 375,000 pounds of food for local food banks

January 7, 2013, (Meridian, ID) – When the calendar turns to January, donations to local food banks drop dramatically while the need continues to grow. In 2008, the Dump Hunger campaign planned to fill one dump truck with 75,000 pounds of food and support local food banks at the time when donations are needed most. Five years and nearly 2 million pounds of food later, the 2013 Dump Hunger campaign launches on January 7 with its loftiest goal yet. Western States CAT, Albertsons and Wells Fargo plan to fill five dump trucks and raise 375,000 pounds for community food banks across the Intermountain West.

"Hunger is just as prevalent today, if not greater, as it was when we launched Dump Hunger five years ago to support the communities we call home,” said Western States President Tom Harris. “This daily struggle for many families doesn’t change after the holidays. Thanks to the tremendous support of our customers, employees and the great partners of Albertsons and Wells Fargo we’re excited to fill those trucks and back to the communities we serve throughout the Intermountain West.”

Dump Hunger kicks off January 7 and runs through February 8, 2013 throughout Idaho, western Wyoming and Montana, and eastern Oregon and Washington. The goal of the 2013 campaign is to fill five CAT 730 dump trucks, the industry’s largest payload vehicle in its class, which is individually capable of holding 75,000 pounds of food.

Food donations to the campaign can be made at any Western States CAT location or participating ALBERTSONS stores. Western States CAT and Wells Fargo locations also accept monetary contributions for the campaign. Donations made to Dump Hunger stay in the local communities, supporting food banks at the most critical time of year. Participating food banks with online donation capabilities are also listed at www.westernstatescat.com/dumphunger.

“We take pride in giving back to the communities we serve, especially when it involves fighting hunger,” said Mike Clawson, president of ALBERTSONS Intermountain West. “Dump Hunger has made a tremendous impact in our neighborhoods when food banks need our help the most. We look forward to seeing the passion and commitment of our team members, guests and partners in action as we kick off another successful campaign.”

“Our team members are passionate about fighting hunger in our communities year round,” said Don Melendez, Idaho Regional president for Wells Fargo.  “We take great pride in being a partner in the Dump Hunger Campaign and helping food banks around the region start the year with plenty of food in their pantries.”

In addition to customer food donations, Albertsons will contribute $10,000 in food items and Wells Fargo will donate $25,000 cash to the participating food bank partners involved with Dump Hunger.

"Dump Hunger plays a critical role in helping us serve our communities during the most challenging time of year, both in terms of donations and awareness,” said Jason Clark, President & CEO, Second Harvest Inland Northwest.  “We thank Western States CAT, Albertsons, Wells Fargo and everyone involved with Dump Hunger for five years of tremendous support.”

While the need for food continues to grow, food banks are experiencing a dramatic shift in donation sources and types of food received. Manufacturing overruns, excess inventory and canned food drives have been a substantial source of food in years past, however more efficient manufacturing procedures have decreased the number of shelf-stable donations provided by campaigns such as Dump Hunger. While perishable food sources help fill some of the need, those served by food banks continue to ask for shelf-stable foods that they can store and use over time to feed their families.

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Ways to Donate:

Those interested in donating food to Dump Hunger can do so at any Western States location or participating Albertsons stores and Wells Fargo branches in Idaho, western Wyoming and Montana, and eastern Oregon and Washington. A full list of locations can be found here (http://www.westernstatescat.com/dumphunger). Monetary donations can be made at participating Wells Fargo locations or online through some participating food banks.  More details are available at www.westernstatescat.com/dumphunger.

Items of Greatest Need:

Every donation makes a difference, as many regional food banks are experiencing continued increases in requests for help compared to last year. Second Harvest has seen the need for its services increase by 25% compared to the previous year alone. While specific needs vary, each food bank can use the following items:

·       Boxed meals (Mac &Cheese, Hamburger Helper, etc.)

·       Peanut butter

·       Canned fruit

·       Canned meals (soup, chili, stew, etc.)

·       Canned vegetables

·       Cereal

·       Dried beans

·       Pasta

·       Rice

·       Stuffing mix

·       Pasta sauce

About Dump Hunger

Dump Hunger is a post-holiday food drive sponsored by Western States Equipment. The five-week campaign partners the 13 Western States branch locations with local Albertsons stores and food banks that serve their shared communities. The post-holiday timing of Dump Hunger is critical for food banks as January and February mark the lowest levels of food donations. To date Dump Hunger has gathered 1,981,482 pounds of food for the communities it serves. Dump Hunger launches on Monday, January 7th and ends on Friday, February 8th. The goal is to gather 375,000 pounds of food – equal to five CAT 730 truckloads.  Caterpillar has regularly recognized the Dump Hunger campaign as the Best Community Event by all CAT dealers in the United States. For more information, including Dump Hunger campaign pictures, Western States branch locations, and a weekly Dump Hunger tracker, visit www.westernstatescat.com.

About Albertsons

Albertsons is part of the SUPERVALU family of grocery stores.  Albertsons was founded in 1939 and currently operates 424 Albertsons and Lucky supermarkets in Southern California, Southern Nevada, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.  For more information about Albertsons, visit our website at www.albertsons.com

About Western States Equipment

With more than 70 years experience in the agricultural, mining and construction industries, Western States Equipment is an authorized Caterpillar dealer for five mountain states with 13 branches located in Idaho, western Wyoming and Montana, and eastern Oregon and Washington. Caterpillar recently recognized the Dump Hunger campaign as the Best Community Event by all CAT dealers in the United States for the second year in a row. For more information, including Dump Hunger campaign pictures and Western States branch locations, visit www.westernstatescat.com.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company  is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.3 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com and wachovia.com), and other distribution channels across North America and internationally. With more than 270,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in America.  Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 23 on Fortune’s 2011 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.
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Source:Western States CAT
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Tags:Western States CAT, Albertsons, Wells Fargo, Dump Hunger, Food Drive
Industry:Heavy Equipment, Grocery Retail
Location:Boise - Idaho - United States
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