Wegmans Announces Major Gift to Food Bank of Central New York
Thursday, September 7, 2023
SYRACUSE, NY -- Representatives from Wegmans gathered at the Food Bank of Central New York food distribution center this afternoon to announce a gift in the amount of $300,000 to the Food Bank’s capacity expansion project. This major, financial commitment will assist with the costs to construct an additional 33,920 square feet of warehouse and office space at the current Food Bank distribution center.
This generous gift will support the creation of the Wegmans Volunteer Packing Area. This space will be located in the 20,800 square foot west end addition to our warehouse. It will offer a dedicated location for Food Bank staff and volunteers to sort and pack boxes of nutritious food and hygiene items for distribution throughout an 11-county service area. The Wegmans Volunteer Packing Area will allow the Food Bank to expand their current programs through an increase in the number and types of boxes of food distributed, including boxes that accommodate for dietary, cultural, and health-related needs.
“Wegmans is pleased to partner with the Food Bank of Central New and serve as naming sponsor of the Volunteer Packing Area. We strive to make meaningful gifts that have significant impact to those in need in our community. This gift is a demonstration of our willingness to do just that,” stated Evelyn Ingram from Wegmans.
“Wegmans is a key partner to our work to end hunger in central and northern New York, as well as in the Mohawk Valley,” said Karen Belcher, Food Bank of Central New York Executive Director. “Their year round commitment to our work is evident in daily perishable and nonperishable food donations, sponsorship support of our events, and leadership on our board of directors. This newly announced gift exemplifies their strong commitment to helping provide nutritious food to everyone in the community.”
Food Bank of Central New York is working with VIP Structures, a Syracuse-based design-build firm, on this project which will result in the creation of construction jobs. Many other local trades businesses are working on this project as well. Funding for this project has come from the federal government with support from Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, as well as former Representative John Katko, the New York State Regional Economic Development Council, NYS SAM through the assistance of Sen. John Mannion,, several generous donors such as the Syracuse St. Patrick’s Hunger Project and Giovanni Foods. Additional dollars are still being sought to fully fund the project with an anticipated completion date of May 2024.
For more information please contact Lynn Hy, Chief Development Officer, at (315) 437-1899 ext. 247 or at lhy@foodbankcny.org.
