Total donations through the campaign now near $1 million since 2011
FARGO N.D. – Hornbacher’s employees and their loyal customers have made a large impact in the fight to end hunger with a $98,991 gift to the Great Plains Food Bank from donations collected at the checkout lines as part of their annual Feed Hope campaign. The donation will immediately be put to work helping feed hungry children, seniors and families throughout North Dakota and Clay County, Minn.
First launched in 2011, the Feed Hope campaign has provided a total of $995,768 to the Great Plains Food Bank. The campaign ran during the month of December where Hornbacher’s customers in Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo were asked to make donations of $1, $3 or $5 at the checkout lines.
“Our community always comes together in times of need and adversity, and the Feed Hope campaign is one way they have made a difference,” said Hornbacher’s President Matt Leiseth. “Our most sincere thanks go out to all our customers who donated to help make this event one of our most successful ever!”
For the third year in a row, 25 percent of the funds raised from Feed Hope will benefit Great Plains Food Bank partner food pantries located in Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo. Known as the Hornbacher’s Food Scholarship, the program will make an even greater impact across each community throughout Hornbacher’s footprint. The remaining 75 percent of this year’s donation will benefit the Great Plains Food Bank’s perishable food recovery and distribution efforts.
“Through their incredible financial giving and also being one of our largest food donors, we simply could not provide food assistance at the level we do without the help of Hornbacher’s,” Great Plains Food Bank CEO Melissa Sobolik said. “We cannot thank Hornbacher’s and all their loyal customers enough for their continued support in our work. They are a true champion in the fight to end hunger.”
Similar to Feed Hope, Hornbacher’s runs a scan campaign called Check Out Hunger during the summer months that has raised nearly $900,000 to benefit the Great Plains Food Bank since 1994. In total, the two campaigns have raised more than $1.89 million to help feed those in need. Additionally, Hornbacher’s stores donate more than 1 million pounds of food that otherwise would go to waste each year to the Great Plains Food Bank.
Great Plains Food Bank CEO Melissa Sobolik (left), Hornbacher’s President Matt Leiseth (center) and Great Plains Food Bank Chief Development Officer Marcia Paulson (right) gather for a photo to celebrate Hornbacher’s $98,991 donation through their annual Feed Hope campaign.