Central Pennsylvania Food Bank Receives Grant from Sheetz For the Kidz to Help Support Child Hunger-Relief Programs
Donation to go directly to helping children in 27 counties throughout central Pennsylvania

(HARRISBURG, PA) July 20, 2020 – The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank today announced that it is receiving a donation of $125,000 from Sheetz For the Kidz, a charitable organization driven by the employees of Sheetz, Inc., to help provide hunger-relief to children in 27 counties throughout central Pennsylvania through the Food Bank’s youth programs.

The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank helps to provide more than 2.5 million meals annually to children in need through its network of local agency partners including food pantries, soup kitchens and meal programs.  Since March, demand for the Food Bank’s services have increased more than 40 percent as families face financial uncertainty in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis and the Food Bank.  The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, a member of the Feeding America® network, is one of 27 food banks to receive this funding from Sheetz For the Kidz. This grant will enable the Food Bank to continue to provide healthy, nutritious meals to children in need.

“The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is proud to continue its partnership with Sheetz for the Kidz to expand its youth programs throughout central PA,” said Joe Arthur, executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.  “This is particularly important in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis and the impact it has had on the economy.  The Food Bank continues to see record demand and we expect that to continue for many months to come.  Life-sustaining gifts like the one from Sheetz for the Kidz, will allow us to continue to ensure that no child, and no family goes hungry, during this crisis and beyond.”

In central Pennsylvania, one in six children struggles with hunger.  These children are living in households that do not have access to the food they need to thrive.  In addition, many children throughout central PA receive free or reduced-price lunches and breakfasts during the school year.  With schools shut down since March due to COVID-19, many children have lost access to these meals.

Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis in March, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank has distributed more than 28 million pounds of food to those in need in the 27 counties it serves.  They are currently serving more than 175,000 individuals per month, including children, seniors and veterans.  That is up from the 135,000 per month who relied on the Food Bank prior to March.

As a regional convenience store, Sheetz is committed to helping to fight childhood hunger in the communities it resides in. Through its program “Made-to-Share,” Sheetz is rescuing food from their 600 stores and donating it to Feeding America member food banks located in their six-state footprint.

“Sheetz For the Kidz is a proud supporter of the Feeding America network of food banks’ child hunger programs,” said Executive Director of Sheetz For the Kidz, Brittany Funcheon. “This year, with our donation, we will support local food banks’ Kid’s Cafes, Backpack Programs and Mobile pantries.”

To learn more about the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, please visit www.centralpafoodbank.org.

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About Central Pennsylvania Food Bank
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to reduce hunger in 27 counties across Pennsylvania. By working with more than 1,000 local agencies and partner programs, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank serves thousands of people in need every month. For more information on the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and its mission to reduce hunger in Pennsylvania, visit centralpafoodbank.org or call 717-564-1700.

About Sheetz, Inc.
Established in 1952 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Sheetz, Inc. is one of America’s fastest-growing family-owned and operated convenience store chains with more than 20,000 employees. The company operates 600 store locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. Sheetz provides an award-winning menu of M•T•O® sandwiches and salads, which are ordered through unique touch-screen order point terminals. All Sheetz convenience stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, Sheetz is committed to offering employees sustainable careers built on an inspiring culture and community engagement. For more information, visit www.sheetz.com or follow us on Twitter (@sheetz), Facebook (www.facebook.com/sheetz) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/sheetz).

About Sheetz For the Kidz
Sheetz For the Kidz is a non-profit organization, designated as a 501(c) (3) charity, independent of the Sheetz Corporation. The organization was created in 1992 by local store employees wanting to help local children. The mission of the charity is to provide support, hope, joy and happiness to children in need within the communities in which Sheetz operates. To date, the charity has impacted more than 129,000 children living in the communities Sheetz serves!