C&S WHOLESALE GROCERS, INC. DONATES HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO THE FOOD BANK OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

C&S CONTINUES FEEDING COMMUNITIES BY SUPPORTING WMA'S EXPANSION EFFORTS

KEENE, N.H., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (C&S) is donating $500,000 to The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts (WMA) to support its expansion efforts with the development of a larger distribution center and headquarters. This new facility will be based in Chicopee, Massachusetts, and will enable The Food Bank of WMA to receive and distribute a larger volume of food, especially fresh food for decades to come. C&S has been a proud supporter of The Food Bank of WMA since 2002, providing financial aid and continuous food and product donations. 

"The pandemic and economic environment have drastically increased the number of people facing food insecurity," said Rick Cohen, Executive Chairman, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. "With the development of this new facility, The Food Bank of WMA will be able to reach more families in need."

The Food Bank of WMA serves as a clearinghouse for the region's emergency food network, providing 174 local food pantries, meal sites and shelters to feed local communities. With the COVID-19 pandemic, The Food Bank of WMA's work has changed dramatically in response to the growing demand for food assistance — more than tripling the amount of food distributed directly to people and partners. Due to such an increase in demand, The Food Bank of WMA needed a larger facility that could handle the storage and operations required to provide more healthy food assistance to more people. Its new home in Hampden County has the largest concentration of people at risk of hunger and will enable more local families to have fresh and nutritious meals.

"C&S's tremendous campaign pledge to build our future home is indicative of decades of steadfast commitment to our mission, including board membership, donated food, in-kind support and grants to prevent child hunger," said Andrew Morehouse, Executive Director, The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Inc.

"For more than 20 years, we have supported The Food Bank of WMA's efforts to feed hundreds of thousands of our friends and neighbors. On average, C&S has donated more than 550,000 pounds of food every year to help their important cause," said Bob Palmer, Chief Executive Officer, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. "Now more than ever, C&S's purpose to keep our communities fed is critical. It is not only what we do every day as a Company, but it's also a key part of our values to give back to our communities."

C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. is an industry leader in supply chain solutions and wholesale grocery supply in the United States. Founded in 1918 as a supplier to independent grocery stores, C&S now services customers of all sizes, supplying more than 7,500 independent supermarkets, chain stores, military bases and institutions with over 100,000 different products. We are an engaged corporate citizen, supporting causes that positively impact our communities. To learn more, please visit www.cswg.com.

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts believes that everyone has a right to healthy food regardless of their circumstances. Serving Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties, The Food Bank leads the region's emergency food network, distributing nutritious food to households with lower incomes. Since 1982, they have been providing individuals facing hunger with the food they need to survive and leading communities towards long-term solutions to food insecurity by addressing its underlying causes. They are committed to creating a Western Massachusetts where no one faces food insecurity, and everyone has access to nutritious food. For more information, visit www.foodbankwma.org. 

SOURCE C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc.