"We turnover food very quickly. It comes in and goes out very quickly," said Patty Habeck, Feeding America Regional Director. "When we get the donation in, we sort, process it, put in on our data base. So it's available to the non-profits right away."
In fact, the Omro warehouse alone processes over five-million pounds of food yearly. It goes to a total of 12-hundred pantries, meal programs and shelters. Now, "Feeding America" hopes to do a lot more for the holiday season.
"We're trying to raise one-million meals for this holiday season to get out to the 330-thousand people, individuals, families, children in our community that need help from the "Feeding America" food bank," Habeck said.
Habeck says they're about half-way to that goal. Big donors including, Schrieber Foods, Roundys, Wal-mart, Piggly Wiggly, Lakeside Food are aided by community canned food drives. Habeck says no food or cash donation is too small.
"We stretch a dollar for everything that it's worth," she said. "So for every dollar that we get, we can stretch it into five-pounds of food to give back to the food pantries and food programs.
Twenty-five dollars feeds 125 families," Habeck added.
Cash and food donations are being accepted at all Associate Bank branches. Cash donations can be made on line at www.feedingamerica.wi.org.
Local 5's Terry Kovarik has the story.
