Berkshire Bank Employees To Conduct Regional Food Drive
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – In support of National Hunger Action Month this September, Berkshire Bank and Berkshire Insurance Group are conducting a company-wide food drive through their Employee Volunteer Program.The drive will run from September 21st through October 2nd and the food collected will be given to local food pantries and food banks in the regions served by the Bank and Berkshire Insurance Group. Last year, approximately 4 tons of food was collected and the goal is to surpass 5 tons this year.
Food collection boxes are set up at all bank branches and insurance offices throughout the Berkshire Bank system in Massachusetts, New York and Vermont. Customers and the public are invited and encouraged to participate in the food drive by donating non-perishable goods to their local Berkshire Bank branch or Berkshire Insurance Group office. Recommended items include peanut butter and jelly, canned beans, rice, pasta and canned pasta sauce, hearty soups, tuna fish and cereals. Check donations will also be accepted during the food drive.
Organizations that will receive the donations are: Berkshire Community Action Council for food pantries in Berkshire County; the Western Mass Food Bank for local pantries in the Pioneer Valley; the Regional Food Bank for Northeastern New York; and food pantries in Rutland, Manchester, Arlington and Ludlow in Vermont.
Berkshire Bank employees in New York will kick off the Food Drive on Thursday, September 17th with an Employee Volunteer Day at the Regional Food Bank located in Albany. Sixteen employees will sort and repack food donations that will be sent out to pantries in the Capital District. Sandra Lee, Branch Manager in East Greenbush, NY said: “This is a great way for employees to get involved and see what goes on first hand at the Food Bank and what happens to the products after they are donated.”
This project is another in a series of projects being undertaken by the Bank’s Employee Volunteer Program that was established to help the Bank and employees give back to the communities it does business in. In 2009, this program has organized and carried out 28 group volunteer work projects throughout the Bank regions that have involved 216 employees. This year, more than 34% of Bank employees have participated in Employee Volunteer Program projects.
