After a record-breaking year in 2020, the annual Check Out Hunger campaign is returning to Rochester-area Wegmans stores this weekend.
The fundraiser provides critical assistance for Foodlink, the regional food bank and public health organization committed to ending hunger and building healthier communities. The point-of-sale campaign allows Wegmans shoppers to donate a few dollars – or simply round up their grocery bill – while checking out at 21 local stores.
This year’s campaign begins Oct. 17 and runs through Nov. 27. The campaign raised more than $710,000 last year – the highest total ever achieved in the nearly 30 years that Wegmans has hosted the event.
“We were absolutely floored by the generosity shown by the community last year in the midst of a very difficult time for many households across our region,” said Foodlink President & CEO Julia Tedesco. “Our day-to-day operations and our response to the COVID-19 crisis would not be possible without the support from Check Out Hunger, and we’re grateful to see this critical Wegmans partnership continue this fall.”
Donations help fund many of Foodlink’s food-related programs and support its food-banking operations across its 10-county service area. According to Feeding America, food insecurity remains 10% higher in the Rochester area compared to pre-pandemic times. More than 152,000 residents of Foodlink’s service area have uncertain or limited access to enough healthy food.
For more information about Check Out Hunger, visit www.FoodlinkNY.org.
