The manager for St. Vincent de Paul food bank is looking forward to getting a donation of nonperishable food items collected by car dealers in the Pasco Autoplex with the help of Yoke's Fresh Markets and Tri-Cities Prep High School.
Sina Pierret's organization, one of six local food banks to benefit from the eighth annual Octoberfest Food Bank-Food Drive, will receive about two pallets of food items today.
Each pallet will hold about 500 pounds of food, Pierret said. "This is a real blessing to us."
St. Vincent de Paul, which serves up to 700 clients a week in Franklin County, is getting ready for the holiday season, Pierret said, adding the number of those in need goes up during winter months.
The annual Octoberfest drive "really went well," said Darrell Toombs, manager at the West Richland Yoke's. Tri-Citians have been very supportive of the campaign, he said. The total amount of food collected was not immediately available, but the sale of $5 and $10 food bags was comparable to last year's, Toombs said.
Also, the participating auto dealers -- Tri-Cities Motor Sales, Transportation Solutions, Legacy Ford and McCurley Integrity Dealerships -- raised $11,670 by donating part of their profits from sales of vehicles throughout October to help buy food at discounted rates for the food banks.
It exceeded the $10,000 goal, said Carmen Marquart of Tri-City Motor Sales and Transportation Solutions. Auto dealers are happy to be able to help the area food banks take care of the community members who need a little help, she said.
Last year's Octoberfest drive resulted in nearly 44,000 pounds in food donations.
Over the years, more than 234,000 pounds of nonperishable food items have been donated.
The collected food will be distributed to St. Vincent de Paul, Tri-Cities Food Bank, Salvation Army, Tri-City Union Gospel Mission, Golden Age Food Source and Harvest Outreach Northwest today.
-- Pratik Joshi: 582-1541; pjoshi@tricityherald.com
Similar stories:
Auto dealers, Yoke's team up to collect food
Auto dealers, Yoke's team up to collect food
The auto dealers of the Pasco Autoplex are teaming up in October to help feed the hungry.
McCurley Integrity Dealerships, Legacy Ford, Tri-Cities Mitsubishi & Thrifty Car Sales, in partnership with Yoke's Fresh Market, will collect food donations this month to help local food banks through the 10th annual Octoberfest Food Bank-Food Drive.
Nonperishable food items can be left at the dealerships, or an Octoberfest "food bag" can be purchased at Yoke's Fresh Market stores in the Tri-Cities.
Mid-Columbia food banks seeing fewer donations, more need
Mid-Columbia food banks seeing fewer donations, more need
Diana Bastian's family of seven depends on the St. Vincent de Paul Society Food Bank to get through the month.
The 17-year-old Pasco High School senior says her parents, who work seasonally, buy food when they can, but it can be expensive -- especially meat.
Area food banks are having a harder time providing food to an increasing number of families like Bastian's. Many are low on canned food and staples -- donations that seem to dry up after the holidays.
St. Vincent de Paul given OK to build food bank in Pasco
St. Vincent de Paul given OK to build food bank in Pasco
St. Vincent de Paul Society is closer to opening a new food bank in downtown Pasco.
The nonprofit has permission to build a food bank on 1.7 acres it now owns along Fifth Avenue, north of A Street.
It's needed because the city intends to buy the land where the current food bank is located for the $31 million Lewis Street Overpass project, which will replace an aging underpass.
Hunger in Mid-Columbia hitting new highs
Hunger in Mid-Columbia hitting new highs
Bags of food may have arrived, but Pasco's Golden Age Food Share still anticipates being swamped with more need than food.
"We can use anything we can get," said Anne Montgomery, the food bank's director and founder.
Golden Age Food Share and other Mid-Columbia food banks are bracing for high demand this holiday season. Already, food banks are seeing more demand for food assistance than last year.
'Dump Hunger' to bring 300,000 pounds of food
'Dump Hunger' to bring 300,000 pounds of food
Tri-Cities Albertsons grocery stores, Wells Fargo banks and Western States Equipment are participating in the fourth annual "Dump Hunger" food drive through Feb. 10.
The companies hope to fill the bed of four CAT 730 dump trucks by collecting 300,000 pounds of food that will go to food banks.
In the Tri-Cities, the donations will go to Second Harvest Tri-Cities, which provides food to 55 food banks in southeastern and central Washington.
Print
Email Story
