GASSAWAY, W.Va. — Thanks to a four-week promotion, Kroger presented a check to the Mountaineer Food Bank Thursday for $25,685.
“This is part of what we do on a regular basis,” said Kroger District Manager Joe Antolini. “This came through just our customers putting money in the box on our registers.”
Antolini said the donation made Thursday was a result of a four-week drive which just finished. The company had a similar summer promotion which led to $36,000 in donations from customers. However, he said the store and corporation are equally charitable.
“Food is what we do best and there’s such a need not only locally, but throughout the country,” he said. “We’re very fortunate to work for a company which believes in charitable giving.”
Antolini said in addition to special donations, the perishable products are almost all donated after they are removed from store shelves. Meat is frozen and given to the food banks. Kroger also boxes up food which has passed it’s “sell-by” date, but is still good and donates it to food pantries for immediate distribution. Produce and other perishables are also donated to soup kitchens and homeless shelters across the state.