BankRI drive nets 3,250 pounds of food for Westbay Community Action

Posted 10/4/18

For seven weeks, Bank Rhode Island (BankRI) rallied the support of customers, staff, and members of the community during its annual summer food drive, helping fifteen food pantries across the state …

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BankRI drive nets 3,250 pounds of food for Westbay Community Action

Posted

For seven weeks, Bank Rhode Island (BankRI) rallied the support of customers, staff, and members of the community during its annual summer food drive, helping fifteen food pantries across the state restock their shelves during a time of high need. In Warwick, BankRI’s three local branches partnered with Westbay Community Action Program, generating 3,250 pounds for its food program.

Beginning on August 1 and continuing until September 21, each of BankRI’s 20 branches hosted a food collection to benefit a pantry that serves its community, ensuring the food collected would remain local to feed area residents.

In addition to the branch collections, BankRI awarded each food pantry partner a charitable grant to acquire additional food through the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. In total, the Bank’s drive – now in its 11th year – resulted in more than 23 tons of food to help Rhode Islanders in need.

“Hunger is an issue that crosses all social demographics and affects every community in our state – it’s also a cause that brings out the generosity in Rhode Islanders who want to help their neighbors in need,” said Mark J. Meiklejohn, President and CEO, BankRI. “Year after year, I remain grateful for the support shown on behalf of those who are less fortunate, and I’d like to thank everyone who made a donation and helped to make this year’s drive a success.”

Each of BankRI’s food pantry partners are members of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s network of emergency food programs. As the state’s largest hunger-relief organization, the Food Bank provides food assistance to 57,000 Rhode Islanders each month through its network, a number that has nearly doubled over the last ten years.

“We’re so thankful for the support BankRI and its customers have given to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and its member agencies,” said Food Bank CEO Andrew Schiff. “By connecting individual branches directly with nearby food pantries in their communities, we’re able to ensure that food is distributed where it’s needed most.”

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