To celebrate and raise awareness about September’s Hunger Action Month, we wanted to highlight the various food assistance programs we support throughout Pennsylvania in partnership with the CEO Weinberg Food Bank.
The CEO Weinberg Food Bank, the largest food bank and assistance organization in northeast PA, services all of northeastern Pennsylvania, including Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties, to help about 40,000 families get the food they need. By collecting donations of wholesome goods from the food industry and distributing it to member organizations and programs, the Food Bank works to reduce hunger and promote proper nutrition.
Some of the programs and organizations that Cabot funds through our partnership with Food Bank include:
Fill a Glass with Hope
Fill a Glass with Hope® is a partnership formed among Feeding Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, and American Dairy Association North East that raises funds to enable member food banks, like CEO Weinberg Food Bank, to purchase fresh milk directly from their local dairies. The purchased milk is then distributed to families in need across Pennsylvania.
Launched in 2015 in Central Pennsylvania and in Pittsburgh, Fill a Glass with Hope® later expanded to become the first statewide charitable fresh milk distribution program in the country.
In 2016, Cabot proudly participated in the program with funding that helped bring the program to Susquehanna County, PA.
Since its inception, the program has provided more than 10 million servings of milk to families in need through Feeding Pennsylvania’s eight member food banks statewide.
Most recently, at the 2019 kickoff event, Cabot contributed to the cause, which provides approximately 24,000 servings of milk to those experiencing hunger in local communities.
To learn more and contribute, visit FeedingPA.org/milk
Hunters Sharing the Harvest
Since 2013, Cabot has sponsored the Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) initiative (now in its 28th season) which coordinates the processing and distribution of donated wild game to hungry families throughout Pennsylvania. During hunting season, thousands of hunters donate their kills to Hunters Sharing the Harvest to provide this service to families across the state.
An average-sized deer will provide enough highly-nutritious, low-cholesterol meat for 200 meals which is why the donations are so important. This sportsmen-inspired community service outreach effectively channels venison product via an integrated network of approved deer processors and food banks.
When hunting season comes around, you can find out how to donate your deer here.
Not a hunter? You can help offset the cost of processing a deer by donating here.
Trehab Thanksgiving Dinner Drive
Each year, Cabot funds the Trehab of Susquehanna County’s Thanksgiving dinner drive which provides all the trimmings for a proper holiday dinner to families in need in northeast Pennsylvania. Recipients included senior citizens and working families who struggle to make ends meet.
“When you have no money and you’re paying for heating and rent, having this meal takes a big load off you. It’s a big shot in the arm to help get them through the holidays, and Cabot has been a great help with that,’ says Trehab executive director, Dennis Phelps.
Cabot is proud to help more than 800 families enjoy holiday meals with their families each year.
Susquehanna County Children’s Produce Market
The Children’s Produce Market takes place once a month at schools across northeast Pennsylvania to provide nutritious foods to families who need it. Each family who registers receives a fresh bags of produce, at no charge to them, with no income guidelines. The primary focus of this program is to encourage healthy eating at ALL income levels.
The program provides families with fresh fruits and vegetables along with cereal, milk, and even occasional frozen meats. Local farmers contribute seasonal items and the CEO Weinberg Food Bank partners with Feeding America to purchase mass quantities through the Mid-Atlantic Regional Cooperative (MARC) at vastly reduced prices.
The program now oversees 39 monthly food distributions for 737 families at schools in northeast Pennsylvania. In Susquehanna County, Cabot’s funding ensures that all five districts in Susquehanna County are served through our partnership with CEO Weinberg Food Bank.
“We’re very grateful to Cabot for their help,” Children’s Produce Market coordinator, Mary Ellen Spellman said. “Without the funds they provided, we wouldn’t be able to host them on a monthly basis throughout the county.”
Support for Local Food Pantry’s & Kitchens
Cabot’s funding also supports the Seven Loaves Food Kitchen and the Nicholson Area Food Pantry as they provide nutritious food to each of their communities.
At the Seven Loaves Food Kitchen, over 157,000 meals have been served to the working poor, unemployed, handicapped, limited fixed income seniors, families with children and individuals in need during the past 11 years.
At each food pantry and kitchen, meal is planned with nutrition in mind. Every day at least one meat, one starch, two vegetables, soup, salad, fruit, dessert and beverage are offered along with other side dishes as available.
Please consider donating to support these programs by reaching out to the CEO Weinberg Food Bank at https://www.ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org
