If you have ever wondered what nearly 900 pounds of food looks like, just picture an office with boxes stacked on every available surface.  That’s what the West Virginia District of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s office looked like after they sponsored a summer-long campaign for Feds Feed Families.

 

Feds Feed Families was created to help local food banks and pantries stay stocked during the summer months when they traditionally see a decrease in donations and an increase in need.  Throughout the nation, federal agencies partner with local food banks and provide much-needed non-perishable food items for area residents in need.

 

Through the generosity of federal employees, the food drive collected nearly 70 million pounds of food nationwide, with 875 pounds in the Harrison County office.  The SBA’s West Virginia District Office held the campaign from June 1 to August 31 and included other tenants in the Derek W. Hotsinpiller Federal Center.  The U.S. Departments of Justice Attorney’s Office, the Disability Determination Section of the Social Security Administration and the Small Business Administration all contributed to the campaign.

 

The food collected was donated to the GFWC Bridgeport Junior Women’s Club, who will be delivering it to the Mountaineer Middle School to help them kick start a food pantry.  Currently, the school has 35 students who are still food insecure after auxiliary programs.  The club has made it a priority to feed the children in need in Harrison County and has spent countless  hours to shopping, sorting, organizing and distributing food to schools throughout the county.

 

The GFWC Bridgeport Junior Women’s Club is currently selling tickets to their annual Grocery Grab, a fundraiser that helps raise money for backpack food programs at area schools.  Any area business or individual who would like to partner with the club or agencies listed above can go to the Facebook page for Bridgeport Juniors and find detailed information about the difference the backpack program is making in Harrison County.