Grocers participate in food drive

As part of National Hunger Action Month the “Hoosiers Fighting Hunger” food drive has been in action since Sept. 1 and will continue until Sept. 30.

The food drive is sponsored by U.S. Senator Richard Lugar and three Indiana grocery stores including Kroger, Marsh Supermarkets and Walmart.

Proceeds will go to local food banks across the state.

Kim Ramsey, store manager for Kroger on South College Avenue, said that food will be sold in $3, $5 and $10 bags for the month of September.

Hoosier Hills Food Bank serves six counties in Indiana and is responsible for picking up the donations. 

“We’re picking up every week, and we also offer to grocery stores to be on call,” said Jake Bruner, Hoosier Hills Food Bank office manager. “If a store is overflowing we will just run out and grab it.”

Bruner also said he expects an enormous amount of food to be donated for the food drive. He said there is currently 624 pounds of food inventoried, but estimated the total so far to be more than one thousand pounds.

Mark Hayes, press contact for Senator Lugar, said there are no specific goals for pounds of food simply because stores have never partnered before in Indiana.

“Whatever corner of the state you come from you can pick up a bag and put in your car,” Hayes said. “It will go straight to the food bank.”

He also said monetary donations are accepted.

He said a statewide approach to Indiana hunger problems rather than individual food drives will prevail.

“We are excited to partner with these three stores,” Hayes said. “They are obviously big competitors but that’s what makes it so exciting. It’s  more important than corporate strategy. Hoosiers have opportunities to eat, to donate and to help out.”

The struggling economy and hard times have forced the three competitors to work together.

Frank Lazaran, chairman of the board, CEO and president of Marsh Supermarkets, said in a press release, “The fact that three major grocers in our marketing area are coming together for one common cause is reason for the entire state of Indiana to be proud and to support this most worthy effort to feed the hungry in Indiana.”