Our Erie News Now Food Dve with Second Harvest Food Bank is Wednesday.
Over the past 25 years we have partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank to provide food to people in need.
When the Erie News Now and Second Harvest Food Bank launched the food drive launched twenty-five years ago, staff never thought it would grow into what it is today.
According to Greg Hall, the CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank, “When it’s our first year and you don’t know how many people are going to turn out and the impact that we can have and then to look back 25 years later and see the incredible impact our two organizations have had is frankly awe-inspiring. There’s obviously been challenges along the way, everything from Covid to inflationary issues, but we still continue to come together to help our neighbors and really it’s about the community and that for 25 years this community is saying yes, we do want to help out, we do want to donate money to help our neighbors in need.”
Although the food drive started in Erie, it quickly spread into neighboring counties.
As Karen Seggi, the former Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank explained, “It’s not just an Erie food drive, it’s a Northwest food drive.”
What comes next?
Hall is looking forward to another 25 years of food drives between Erie News Now and Second Harvest Food Bank.
As Hall explained, “What’s most exciting for me is to look back on those 25 years of partnership and look to the future and what do the next 25 years look like to our partnership.”
The food drive kicks off Wednesday morning at 6:00 a.m. and goes until 6:30 p.m.
People can drop off food and monetary donations at locations in Erie, Crawford and Warren counties.