Grant will support child hunger programs in central Pennsylvania
Sheetz for the Kidz visits the Boys and Girls Club of Harrisburg this summer. The Boys and Girls Club was one of the summer feeding sites that partnered with the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank in the summer of 2022 and is supported by the Sheetz for the Kidz grant. Pictured from left to right: Mark Hawthorne, executive director, Boys and Girls Club of Harrisburg; Brittany Funcheon, executive director of Sheetz for the Kidz; and Joe Arthur, executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.
(HARRISBURG, PA) October 6, 2022 – The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank today announced that it is receiving a $127,000 grant from Sheetz for the Kidz, a charitable organization driven by the employees of Sheetz, Inc., to help provide hunger-relief to children in central Pennsylvania through the Food Bank’s summer feeding and youth hunger programs.
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank continues to address the increased need due to the pandemic and current inflationary challenges. Many families are working hard to make ends meet but are still not making enough to cover all expenses, leaving many children without the meals they need to thrive. In central Pennsylvania, nearly 1 in 7 children are facing hunger.
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank helps to provide more than 2.5 million meals annually to children in need through its network of local agency partners including food pantries, soup kitchens and meal programs. During the summer of 2022, the Food Bank served nearly 71,000 meals across 62 Summer Feeding sites in 12 counties with assistance from the Sheetz grant. Funding will also be used for the Food Bank’s school pantry and backpack programs. The Food Bank is a member of Feeding America® and is one of 27 food banks to receive this grant from Sheetz for the Kidz. This grant enables the Food Bank to continue to provide healthy, nutritious meals to children in need.
“The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is proud to continue its partnership with Sheetz for the Kidz to expand its youth programs throughout central PA,” said Joe Arthur, executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. “This is particularly important as families face record high inflation and other economic challenges. We thank Sheetz for their continued investment in our local communities. Together, we can end hunger.”
As a regional convenience store, Sheetz is committed to helping fight childhood hunger in the communities it resides in. Through their Sheetz for the Kidz’s Child Hunger Grant, they are grateful to provide food banks with the opportunity to invest more resources towards their incredible work.
“At a time when food insecurity and inequity remains a top concern of households in our operating areas, we could not be more proud of this continued partnership,” said Brittany Funcheon, Executive Director of Sheetz For the Kidz. “Our annual donation directly supports Kid’s Cafes, School Pantries, BackPack Programs and Mobile Pantries in the communities where Sheetz serves.
To learn more about the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, please visit www.centralpafoodbank.org.
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About Central Pennsylvania Food Bank
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to reduce hunger in 27 counties across Pennsylvania. By working with more than 1,100 local agencies and partner programs, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank serves thousands of people in need every month. For more information on the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and its mission to reduce hunger in Pennsylvania, visit centralpafoodbank.org or call 717-564-1700.
About Sheetz For the Kidz
Sheetz For the Kidz is a non-profit organization, designated as a 501(c) (3) charity, independent of the Sheetz Corporation. The organization was created in 1992 by local store employees wanting to help local children. The mission of the charity is to provide support, hope, joy and happiness to children in need within the communities in which Sheetz operates. To date, the charity has impacted more than 150,000 children living in the communities Sheetz serves!
About Sheetz, Inc.
Established in 1952 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Sheetz, Inc. is one of America’s fastest-growing family-owned and operated convenience store chains with more than 24,000 employees. The company operates 640 store locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. Sheetz provides an award-winning menu of M•T•O® sandwiches and salads, which are ordered through unique touch-screen order point terminals. All Sheetz convenience stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, Sheetz is committed to offering employees sustainable careers built on an inspiring culture and community engagement. For more information, visit www.sheetz.com or follow us on Twitter (@sheetz), Facebook (www.facebook.com/sheetz) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/sheetz).