BY ELLEN LYNCH
The entire Food Bank for Westchester staff, more than 220 corporate volunteers and some unsuspecting photographers and videographers all survived the recent Golden Scoop Corporate Competition. In its fifth year, the 2014 event included 11 teams of up to 20 workers who competed against each other to see which team could repack the most pounds of protein-filled pinto beans in an hour. We think of this event as an afternoon-long assault on hunger ”“ combining corporate generosity and people power to help forward the mission of the Food Bank.
It was a great day for the Food Bank as we raised roughly $66,000 from our corporate friends, including AQR Capital, Bunge, Capital One Bank, Chubb, Clarfeld Financial, Curtis Instruments, Pernod Ricard USA, Regeneron, ShopRite, Stop & Shop and Webster Bank. The monies raised help us support more than 265 hunger-relief programs throughout Westchester County, including food pantries, soup kitchens, senior and child care centers, shelters and residences.
Together, the charged up competitors packed 15,976 pounds of food for the hungry. This year”™s winner, Capital One, packed a whopping 1,700 pounds of protein rich pinto beans; and, in the process, unseated three-time champ ”“ Stop and Shop. Capitol One earned the right to hold the coveted Golden Scoop trophy for one year. Then they come back to the Food Bank warehouse next May to defend their title. The trophy was presented at the Hunger Heroes breakfast ”“ a great opportunity for the Golden Scoop winner to brag each year.
More importantly, the Hunger Heroes breakfast is the Food Bank”™s chance to publicly applaud the efforts of those who do work on behalf of those in need. When you walk into that room at Tappan Hill on “Hunger Hero morning,” you will find concerned representatives from every level of government, community groups and schools that volunteer and donate, dedicated individuals who run food pantries and soup kitchens; and socially responsible corporate executives ”“ all in agreement that hunger is a dangerous enemy that we absolutely must join together to beat.
This battle we are fighting is a big one ”“ a critical one. Hunger is an enemy affecting our community on so many levels and in so many potentially devastating ways. We are working hard to minimize the negative impacts. Last year, the Food Bank distributed more than 7.4 million pounds of food that provides more than 6.2 million meals to those hungry or at risk of hunger. We could never deliver those numbers without the help of thousands of volunteers and supporters.
The Food Bank is proud to lead the charge against hunger in Westchester and we are grateful to have the bandwidth to be able to leverage the money, time, muscle and creativity of dedicated contributors, sponsors and volunteers from all sectors of the community.
Maybe you want to form a team of hunger fighters in your office and join the fun? May 2015 will be here before you know it. We will provide your company a chance to do a great team building exercise, while forwarding your goals related to corporate responsibility. Take up a scoop and challenge some of your competitors. We”™d love to hear from you. Ellen Lynch is the executive director of the food bank. For more information, call 914-418-5210 or visit foodbankforwestchester.org.
