C&s Wholesale Grocers And Employees Respond With Generosity

Nov. 3, 2010 - PRLog -- Keene, NH  -- C&S Wholesale Grocers and its family of companies announced recent cash donations and programs to fight hunger in America. “On behalf of our employees, I’m proud that C&S is a mission partner to Feeding America and that we contribute to a well-respected group of hunger relief organizations doing so much for struggling families,” said Rick Cohen, Chairman and CEO. “The national Hunger Action Month campaign encouraged us to learn more about the issue and to take steps to address it.”

Food For Kids Drive
For the eighth consecutive year, C&S employees responded enthusiastically to an annual Food for Kids drive. Employees donated more than 16,000 pounds of nonperishable food for local food banks. For every pound, C&S made a $1 contribution to Feeding America’s BackPack Program, which provides nutritious food to kids in need to tide them over during weekends or school vacations.

Investment in Food Banks
C&S proudly announced investments in the work of the following Feeding America member food banks in or near communities where the company has a presence:

Capital Area Food Bank, Washington, DC – to expand the Weekend BackPack Program so it will reach an additional 475 children per week at six sites.

Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Hatfield, MA – to support the Intergenerational Meals Program, a series of healthy cooking classes for 200 individuals including low income youth, families and elders.

Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY – for the purchase of a heavy duty extended body cargo van to enable more food donation pickups from area farms and retailers.

Birmingham Food Bank, Birmingham, AL – to grow the Weekenders BackPack Program so that an additional 650 children will be reached every other week.

Foodshare, Bloomfield, CT – to support Creating a Hunger-Free Greater Hartford, a five-year initiative to provide low-income families with greater access to adequate food and to shift the public’s response to hunger from food drives to actions promoting self-sufficiency.  

Hawaii Food Bank, Honolulu, HI – for Ohana Produce PLUS program to bring protein and staple foods to more than 5,000 homeless individuals, including 2,500 children, living in encampments on the Leeward coast.

Maryland Food Bank, Baltimore, MD – to purchase two 24-foot trailers to be parked at area produce farms and at other outlying sites to provide capacity for an additional 50,000 pounds of donated food per month.

Additional involvement during national Hunger Action Month in September by C&S and its employees included:

In Vermont: Donation of two truckloads of food to the Vermont Food Bank and a donation to a “Community Listening” session surrounding the issue of hunger.

In New York: Honor by the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley at its 20th anniversary celebration

In Massachusetts: Corporate sponsorship of the Hunger Summit, presented by the Food Bank of Western Mass.

In Hawaii: Corporate sponsorship of the “Canstruction” exhibit to raise awareness for the Hawaii Food Bank.

In New Hampshire: C&S information systems team provided pro-bono technology assistance to The Community Kitchen.

In Connecticut: Participation in the annual 21-mile Convoy of Caring to raise awareness for FoodShare.

Food for All
GU Markets LLC, a division of C&S Wholesale Grocers, announced that they have raised more than $137,000 since 2006 through their summer and holiday season Food For All campaigns.  With the direct support of their customers and employees, funds from the GU Markets campaigns will benefit local and regional Feeding America food banks.

Conference of Leaders
C&S was pleased to be the presenting sponsor of Share Our Strength’s Conference of Leaders held recently in Washington, D.C.  The Conference convened a dynamic group of 400 chefs, grant recipients, donors and thought leaders from a variety of fields and volunteers.  Over the course of two days, attendees were informed, inspired and introduced to the No Kid Hungry™ campaign that aims to end childhood hunger in the United States by 2015.

Thanksgiving Turkeys
On November 2, the company donated 5,300 turkeys to 24 statewide or regional food banks in the Feeding America network.  The turkeys will be given to families without means so they can enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal.  In mid-November, C&S will offer turkeys to employees, and many will donate their turkeys to their local food bank.

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About C&S

C&S Wholesale Grocers of Keene, N.H. is the nation’s largest food wholesaler and according to Forbes magazine, the 12th largest privately held company in the United States. The company distributes food to supermarkets, retail stores and military bases across the country.

Currently, C&S serves about 3,900 stores from more than 50 locations in 11 states. Among our customers are many of America's best known companies, including Stop & Shop, Giant of Carlisle, Giant of Landover, Shaw's, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P), Ralphs, Safeway and Target.

C&S community involvement programs support initiatives to stop hunger and to promote the health and enrichment of communities that are homes to the company's employees and facilities. To learn more: http://community.cswg.com.