Walker County hunger relief organizations receive donations

Food City, on Feb. 17, made a gift of $176,219 to the Chattanooga Area Food Bank and area hunger relief organizations. Three Walker County organizations will benefit from the donation.

A team of local Food City store managers, led by District Manager Daryl Massey, presented the check that reflected contributions made by customers at 27 Food City locations in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia during the 2019 WRCB Channel 3’s Share Your Christmas. Of this total, the food bank will receive $75,215.

“This gift from Food City is a tremendous contribution to support our mission of leading a network of partners in eliminating hunger and promoting better nutrition in our region, but it is just one of the many ways they work with us to solve hunger,” said David McCorkle, chief financial officer of the food bank.

“Throughout the year, Food City locations in our service area donate nutritious products from their shelves to food pantries across Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia,” McCorkle said. “Thanks to their participation in our retail rescue program, Food City has helped to create 300,954 meals last year alone from donated food.”

Food City District Manager Daryl Massey presented the check, which reflected an increase over the previous three years.

“WRCB Channel 3’s Share Your Christmas is more than a holiday tradition for us,” Massey said. “Supporting the Chattanooga Area Food Bank is a commitment of our customers and our staff to making nutritious foods a reality for our neighbors in need.”

Pam Teague, WRCB vice president and general manager added, “Share Your Christmas has been a Channel 3 tradition for 35 years, and we are humbled by how our community turns out every year to help our neighbors.”

Out of the $176,219 total, the remaining $101,004 will be divided among 13 hunger relief agencies:

♦ The Care Mission, LaFayette

♦ Empty Stocking Fund, LaFayette

♦ Rossville Church of Christ, Rossville

♦ Bethlehem Center, Chattanooga

♦ Coordinated Charities of McMinn County, Athens, Tenn.

♦ East Ridge Food Pantry at East Ridge United Methodist Church, East Ridge, Tenn.

♦ Helping Hands Food Pantry, Chatsworth, Ga.

♦ Lee University Food Bank, Cleveland, Tenn.

♦ Salvation Army of Dalton

♦ Shepherd’s Arms Rescue Mission, Chattanooga

♦ Soddy Daisy Food Bank, Soddy Daisy, Tenn.

♦ Tri-State Food Pantry, Trenton, Ga.

♦ Waterville Baptist Church, Cleveland, Tenn.

This spring, Food City plans to hold another food drive, “Friends in Need,” beginning March 11.

About the Chattanooga Area Food Bank

Founded in 1972, the Chattanooga Area Food Bank’s mission is to lead a network of partners in eliminating hunger and promoting better nutrition in the region. In its 20-county service area in southeast Tennessee and northwest Georgia, one in eight people, including one in five children, are food insecure. Annually, the food bank distributes more than 13 million meals through its network of partner agencies to serve children, families, seniors, veterans and others who are facing hunger. The food bank is a member of Feeding America, the largest hunger relief U.S. umbrella nonprofit organization. For more information about the food bank or to how to get involved, visit chattfoodbank.org, like the food bank on Facebook, or follow it on Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.