FOOD Share ends successful 3rd annual CAN-tree Collection with more than 192,000 pounds of food

VENTURA, Calif. - Dec. 23, 2014 - PRLog -- The weekend of Dec. 5-7 was reveling in the holiday spirit and goodwill when The Collection at RiverPark hosted FOOD Share’s successful third annual CAN-tree Collection drive in support of the regional food bank’s annual Tackle Hunger campaign, more than doubling total donations from last year’s food drive with an astonishing 192,806 pounds of food collected.

The Collection’s Park View Court was lined with 225 CAN-trees built by business and community teams, as well as a 14-foot can-tree made of 10,000 cans of food donated by Ventura County Credit Union and constructed by students of ACE Charter High School, and members of the Ventura County Contractors Association and Naval Base Ventura County.

“We are overwhelmed by the generosity of those in our community who helped make this not only a fun event, but one in which we hope will make a difference for those in need during the holidays,” said Mike Powers, County of Ventura CEO and CAN-tree co-chair. “Working together with FOOD Share continues to be a wonderful and worthwhile experience.”

The CAN-tree Collection is FOOD Share’s signature event during its annual Holiday Tackle Hunger Campaign – a three-month-long push to boost donations during the year when the need is most critical to help feed more than 74,500 hungry people per month. This year, FOOD Share hopes to collect more than $150,000 in monetary donations and 200,000 pounds of donated food to help restock the shelves of their Oxnard warehouse distribution center.

“The outpouring of support we’ve received from the community and their efforts to give back to make this event the largest food drive of the year is incredible,” said FOOD Share President and CEO Bonnie Weigel. “We are grateful to have partners within the community who come back every year to support CAN-tree and inspire more people to join in our mission.”

FOOD Share will be hosting a Tackle Hunger Wrap-Up Breakfast on Thursday, Jan. 8, at 8:30 a.m. at its Oxnard warehouse to commemorate the end of a successful Tackle Hunger campaign, featuring a short awards ceremony recognizing community members’ outstanding contributions for this year’s event will take place.

About FOOD Share:

More than 35 years ago, eight citizens performed a good deed by distributing food to those who were in need underneath a Ventura bridge. The early philanthropic movement quickly formed into what is now Ventura County’s regional food bank, FOOD Share, which has grown from serving a few hundred hungry people per month to 74,500 people. Today, staff and volunteers distribute more than 10 million pounds of food annually from its distribution site; more than 180 partner agencies, which include neighborhood and church food distributions and soup kitchens; as well as hunger assistance programs. FOOD Share’s programs provide healthy nutrition and education to children, families and seniors, which include: KIDS Share, SENIOR Share, Nutrition Education, Community Market, SoCal Gas CARE Program and more. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, FOOD Share is a member of the Feeding America network, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization. For more information about FOOD Share, visit www.foodshare.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FoodShareofVenturaCounty) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/FoodshareVC).

About The Collection

The Collection at RiverPark is a 700,000 square foot, open-air specialty retail center located in the heart of West Ventura County. Inspired by the beauty of the California coast, The Collection reflects the unique atmosphere of the surrounding seaside communities. Built around a pedestrian-friendly grid of retail streets, the center includes a carefully crafted assortment of established and contemporary designer shops, distinctive dining, and signature entertainment venues. Anchors include Target, Century RiverPark 16, REI, Whole Foods Market and H&M. Restaurants include Yard House, Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, Larsen’s Grill and Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana. Follow us on the web, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Google+ at TheCollectionRP.