July 8, 2021
HAMBURG, NEW YORK – The Erie County Agricultural Society is proud to announce an initiative to help combat childhood hunger in the area this summer. In a partnership with Tops Friendly Markets and Student Transportation of America with media support from WGRZ- TV Channel 2, a “Meals On The Bus” Food Drive is planned for three area Tops Markets locations on Saturday, July 24th from 10:00am-2:00pm to benefit FeedMore WNY.
- Store #220: 4777 Transit Road Depew, NY 14043
- Store #226: 890 Young Street Tonawanda, NY 14150
- Store #236: 6150 South Park Ave, Hamburg, NY 14075
This is a contactless food drive, representatives will collect the items directly from you as you leave the store or from your vehicle if you prefer. We are asking people to donate single serve items like oatmeal, applesauce, easy mac, granola bars, pudding cups, fruit cups, nuts, etc; in hopes of giving families and children easy, nutritious meals. The goal is to fill the bus on location at each Tops store.
In 2020, FeedMore WNY assisted a total of 180,880 individuals throughout their four county service area through all of their feeding programs – a 36 percent increase compared to 2019. A big reason for this is, due to the recent situation, many children are without their main source of nutrition – school meals. These donations will support FeedMore WNY’s BackPack Program, which provides bags of easy-to-prepare, kid-friendly food to children in need. For your donation, you will be entered to win an Erie County Fair VIP Package. For your donation, you will be entered to win an Erie County Fair VIP Package.
“The need for food assistance in our community is greater than ever. In 2020, FeedMore WNY distributed enough food through all of our feeding programs to provide nearly 16 million meals to our neighbors in need. This is an increase of nearly 4 million meals compared to 2019,” Tara A. Ellis, president and CEO of FeedMore WNY, said. “We are grateful for this partnership with our friends at the Erie County Fair, Tops Markets, Student Transportation of America and WGRZ-TV through the Meals on the Bus event and we encourage the community to participate in this critical food drive.”
“Tops is proud to partner with both The Erie County Agricultural Society and FeedMore WNY to help fill each of the busses at our three area Tops locations to help eradicate hunger here in Western New York,” said Kristen Hanson, Vice President Center Store, Our Brand, & Pharmacy for Tops Friendly Markets. “As a board member with FeedMore WNY, I see first-hand the remarkable impact this organization makes on our community. Last year alone our food bank program distributed more than 17 million pounds of nutritious fresh and shelf-stable foods to nearly 300 pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters and other hunger-relief agencies throughout Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties. The need continues to be great and we need your help.”
“We know that the Erie County Fair has been the largest one day summer time food collection for FeedMore WNY in recent years and with not being able to hold the Food Drive on Opening Day this year, we still wanted to help FeedMore WNY,” said Jessica Underberg, CEO of Erie County Agricultural Society.
For more information, visit www.ECFair.org.
About FeedMore WNY
FeedMore WNY offers dignity, hope and a brighter future by providing nutritious food, friendship and skills training to its Western New York neighbors in need. Through its food bank distribution center and partner hunger-relief agencies, as well as its home-delivered meal program and other targeted feeding programs, FeedMore WNY alleviates hunger and assists community members of all ages throughout Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties. More information can be found at www.feedmorewny.org.
About the Erie County Agricultural Society
The Erie County Agricultural Society is a private not-for-profit membership organization. Established in 1819, the Society is the oldest civic organization in Western New York. The mission of the Erie County Agricultural Society (ECAS), sponsors of the Erie County Fair, is to preserve and enhance, by educational endeavors, the agricultural and historical legacy of New York State. The Fair strives to fulfill appropriate aspects of the agricultural, educational, entertainment and recreational needs of Western New York.