stuff a bus

The Westchester County Bee-Line Food Drive created their Stuff a Bus program to assist with the soaring number of Westchester residents who have become food insecure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Representatives from Westchester’s SMART Commute Program, Feeding Westchester, and Stop & Shop joined together to host a Bee-Line Stuff a Bus food drive. The drive collected 10,291 pounds of food, equaling to 8,575 meals to neighbors in need this holiday season. This effort aimed to address the growing issue of food insecurity in Westchester since the start of the pandemic in March.

Since the start of this health crisis, the need for food in Westchester County has significantly increased. Feeding Westchester’s network of agency partners and distribution programs throughout the county are serving more than 300,000 people experiencing hunger each month – that is more than twice as many people who needed a helping hand prior to Covid.

Heather Ann Reiners, program coordinator of SMART Commute, of the Westchester County DPW&T, commented, “Through our partnership with Feeding Westchester and Stop & Shop we were able to make a huge impact in the community with this year’s Stuff a Bus event. The event produced 4,838 more pounds of food than last year, at a time when it is now needed more than ever.  We are grateful to everyone who donated to make this event a success.”

Donation bins were on site at all fourteen Stop & Shop locations throughout Westchester County for one week. The program concluded with a “stuff the bus” event at the Ossining Stop & Shop on Thursday, October 29 and at the Yonkers Stop & Shop on Friday, October 30.

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