Berkshire Bank Foundation Awards $10K To N.Y. Food Bank10:12AM / Tuesday, December 13, 2011
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Bank Foundation has awarded a $10,000 grant to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York to support its Holiday Hunger Appeal. The Holiday Hunger Appeal is conducted annually by the Food Bank and is one of their largest annual fundraisers and runs until Dec. 24.
The food bank is a nonprofit organization that works in partnership with the food industry. Manufacturers, distributers, retailers, growers, and processors donate food that may be mislabeled, overproduced, close to code, or other circumstances that make it unmarketable but do not affect the food’s quality. Additionally, for each dollar donated to the appeal the food bank is able to purchase $10 worth of food to feed a hungry family.
The food bank distributed 24.9 million pounds of food last year to help feed hungry families in northeastern New York. The goal of this year’s Holiday Hunger Appeal is to raise $450,000.
Mark Quandt, executive director of the food bank, said, "We are very excited and grateful to have Berkshire Bank join the Regional Food Bank as a major sponsor of our 27th annual Holiday Hunger Appeal. Berkshire's generous contribution is especially meaningful now with so many people struggling in this difficult economy and many communities devastated by the flooding of Hurricane Irene. With Berkshire's help, we hope to make this year's appeal the most successful ever."
While Berkshire Bank Foundation's priorities are education and community/economic development projects, it also donates to youth, cultural and human service organizations. A complete list of Berkshire Bank Foundation supported organizations in 2011 can be found by visiting www.berkshirebank.com/foundation.
The foundation also administers the bank's growing Employee Volunteer Program that carries out group community service projects benefiting schools, nonprofit organizations and communities within the bank’s service area. In 2010, more than 350 employees donated over 17,000 hours of service to benefit community organizations across the bank’s market.
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