Credit Unions & Legislators Donate 7,380 Pounds of Food to Philabundance
July 19, 2021
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FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. — Working together, credit unions and Pennsylvania state legislators launched a food drive this summer that has resulted in 7,380 pounds of canned goods and non-perishable food being donated to Philabundance to help replenish diminishing supplies in local pantries.
The credit unions’ branches and legislators’ offices served as drop-off sites for food donations from members and constituents. The credit unions worked with Philabundance to learn what types of food were most needed and received an overwhelming response from people who wanted to help.
The staff at Philabundance was thrilled with the donations from Pennsylvania State Senator Maria Collett, Pa. State Representative Jennifer O’Mara, and Pa. State Representative Mike Zabel. Philabundance also received donations from American Heritage Federal Credit Union, Ardent Credit Union, BHCU, Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union, Media Members Federal Credit Union, Merck Sharp & Dohme Federal Credit Union, Norristown Bell Credit Union, Reliance Federal Credit Union, Sun East Federal Credit Union, Superior Federal Credit Union, Tri County Area Federal Credit Union, TruMark Financial® Credit Union, and Ukrainian Selfreliance Federal Credit Union.
Additional support was provided by Pa. State Senator Katie Muth, Pa. State Representative Leanne Krueger, Forge Credit Union, Freedom Credit Union, Philadelphia Letter Carriers Federal Credit Union, and Wawa Credit Union.
At a press conference last week to announce the donations, representatives from the credit unions and elected officials visited Philabundance’s South Philadelphia warehouse and delivered pallets of requested items such as peanut butter, tuna fish, beans, and cereal.
Also at the press conference, U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick presented a flag to Philabundance commemorating its service to the community through initiatives addressing food insecurity and hunger.
In addition, several of the credit unions made monetary donations totaling over $7,000 to be used to combat food insecurity in the five-county Philadelphia region.
“The economic downturn as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with the summer cessation of school programs designed to assist children has hit especially hard. TruMark Financial is proud to be part of this initiative to ensure those affected get the assistance they need,” said TruMark Financial’s Chief Executive Officer Richard F. Stipa.
About TruMark Financial:
TruMark Financial is one of the strongest, most progressive credit unions in the nation, offering a full range of banking, investing, and insurance services to more than 128,000 members in Southeastern Pa.
Founded in 1939, TruMark Financial is headquartered in Fort Washington, Pa., and has approximately $2.7 billion in assets through its 24 branches, Call Center, and a suite of innovative online and mobile banking services online services. To learn more about TruMark Financial, visit www.trumarkonline.org or call 1-877-TRUMARK. Connect with TruMark Financial at www.facebook.com/trumarkonline and twitter.com/trumarkonline.
About Philabundance
Philabundance was founded with the simple belief that no one should go hungry while healthy food goes to waste. Our mission is to drive hunger from our communities today and to end hunger for good. Philabundance partners with over 350 agencies to provide food in nine-counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. Those agencies include shelters, emergency kitchens, senior centers and locations where people access other services, including hospitals, libraries, and schools. In addition to food distribution, we reduce food waste, increase access to nutritious meals, and tackle the root causes of hunger through programs such as the Philabundance Community Kitchen.