September is Hunger Action Month, when Feeding America and member food banks, including the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank, ask everyone in America to take action to fight hunger in their community, all month long. Hunger Action Month is your opportunity to join a movement that has a real and lasting impact on our effort to feed more in your community than ever before. Whether it’s by advocating and raising awareness, making donations, or volunteering, you can find the way that’s right for you to make a difference during Hunger Action Month. Together, we can solve hunger.
Last year, over 12.5 million pounds of food was given to our neighbors in need. So far this year, with much of the increase due to COVID, we distributed over 10.5 million pounds in just the first 6 months!
Feeding America estimates suggest the number of people at risk of hunger in Northeast Pennsylvania has increased – due to COVID – by 31,000 people. With over 101,000 people facing hunger in NEPA, including 1 in 4 children – we desperately need your help!
This year may look a little different, but here are a few ideas for getting involved:
Employee Dress Down Day – Even if you are working remotely! Ask your employees to donate to the Food Bank and wear orange, the color of hunger awareness. Take a picture or screenshot during a Zoom meeting and post it on Social Media, tag CEO so we can share it too!
Host a Virtual Food Drive – make it a contest between departments or locations to see who can have the greatest impact. Raise money instead of cans: Thanks to the Food Bank's wholesale purchasing power and efficient distribution model, a financial gift provides more food than through a traditional food drive - doubling or even tripling the amount of food your dollar can buy at the grocery store.
Sign up for Virtual Hunger 101 - a simulation of what it is like to struggle to feed your family. This activity is best followed by a volunteer activity - either at our volunteer site or with a food distribution partner in the community. Contact Gretchen for more info: ghunt@ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org
Host a volunteer day at the Food Bank's COVID Food Relief Volunteer site and invite your employees and their families to come out and help feed our community. Group size limits, masks, social distancing and all other health/safety precautions are followed. Contact Grace Nava to schedule group volunteer activities: gnava@ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org or visit our volunteer page: www.ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org/volunteer
Make a donation - you can even invite your friends to donate with you!
- Create a Facebook fundraiser and invite your friends to contribute. Start here: https://www.facebook.com/fund/CEO.nepa/
- Create a Money Pool via PayPal find out how: https://www.paypal.com/us/for-you/transfer-money/collect-money and donate to CEO via PayPal use the donate button above or send the donation to ceonortheastpa@gmail.com from your PayPal app.
Find us on Social Media – like, share and spread the word!
Know someone who needs food?
Find a local food pantry: visit our website, www.ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org or call 570-826-0510 or 800-822-0359 to be referred.
Apply for SNAP benefits (food stamps): Apply online at www.compass.state.pa.us or apply by phone by calling 570-826-0510 or 800-822-0359.
All of this info is available on our website, on our Hunger Action Month page: www.ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org/hunger_action_month