FORT LEE, Va., 2014-6-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — Commissary employees and customers are working together again this year to collect donations for the Feds Feed Families campaign.
The campaign, which takes place June 1 through Aug. 31, collects much-needed items for local food banks. Customers and employees can donate nonperishable food and personal hygiene items to the campaign using marked bins located at the entries or exits of participating commissaries.
“Contributing to the communities that surround our stores is important to the commissaries,” said Vicki Archileti, DeCA’s executive director of infrastructure support. “Times are still tough for a lot of families, and with commissaries and our patrons working together we hope to lessen that burden.”
Last year, commissaries collected almost 740,000 pounds, or 39 percent of the Department of Defense’s total, of items for local food banks. In 2013, DOD collected over 1.9 million pounds, and donations from the entire federal government totaled 9 million pounds.
Commissaries will again serve as collection points for the campaign. Once the items have been collected the installation will pick up the items and deliver them to a local food bank. Some commissaries also sold prepackaged donations packages, which allowed customers to purchase the bags and then drop them in the collection bins before leaving the store.
The most-needed items for donations include:
Canned vegetables – low sodium, no salt
Canned fruits – in light syrup or its own juices
Canned proteins – tuna, salmon, chicken, peanut butter and beans
Soups – beef stew, chili, chicken noodle, turkey or rice
Condiments – tomato-based sauces, light soy sauce, ketchup, mustard, salad dressing or oils
Snacks – individually packed snacks, crackers, trail mix, dried fruit, granola and cereal bars, pretzels and sandwich crackers
Multigrain cereal
100 percent juice – all sizes, including juice boxes
Grains – brown and white rice, oatmeal, bulgar, quinoa, couscous, pasta, and macaroni and cheese
Paper products and household items – paper towels, napkins, cleaning supplies
Hygiene items – diapers, deodorants (men and women), feminine products, toilet paper, tissues, soap, toothpaste and shampoo
Although no goals have been established for the 2014 campaign, the commissaries are confident that with the help of their patrons and employees the 2013 totals will be exceeded. “For the last three years our patrons and employees have never failed to make this campaign a success,” said Archileti. “We are looking forward to another great campaign year.”
About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Authorized patrons purchase items at cost plus a 5–percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. Shoppers save an average of more than 30 percent on their purchases compared to commercial prices – savings amounting to thousands of dollars annually. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.
Media Contact:
Kevin L. Robinson
(804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773
kevin.robinson@deca.mil