By Susan Summers
As we all can attest, the year 2020 has been a hard one. The Covid 19 virus has upended lives across the globe and caused some of us to lose perspective about the things that really matter. Then happily, we are reminded that big hearts exist in large corporations and at our corner grocery store. This was exemplified by a group of Vail Safeway employees who nominated Greater Vail Community ReSources to receive a “Nourishing Neighbors” grant to support the work of Resources Vail Food Bank. The grant program is made available through the Albertsons Companies Foundation with the goal of helping families impacted by Covid 19.
On September 24th, ReSources General Manager Stefanie Stark received the welcome news that a grant of $10,000 had been approved by the foundation. It comes at an ideal time, as food banks across the country have seen a decrease in retail donations and an increase in product demand by vulnerable populations. Among other things, this award will enable the food bank to continue its “backpack” program which provides weekend supplemental nutrition to Vail School District students who live in food insecurity.
In addition to initiating the grant process, the local Vail Safeway is the food bank’s largest grocery rescue partner through the Feeding American program. Several times a week, food bank volunteers pick up shelf stable food, meat, produce and baked goods from Safeway which then becomes available to drive-through clients immediately. Safeway has donated an amazing 88,000 pounds of food to ReSources Vail Food Bank during 2019, and 46,000 pounds in 2020 to date.
And that’s not all! Just in time for Thanksgiving, Safeway is running its annual “Turkey Bucks” program in which the store collects $1, $5 or $10 turkey bucks from customers at check out. The donated money is then used to buy and prepare Thanksgiving turkey dinners for families who cannot afford to buy their own holiday dinners. So next time you’re shopping at Safeway, don’t forget to donate some turkey bucks.
For these and other huge assists in feeding Vail’s hungry, ReSources thanks our Vail Safeway, its store director, Michelle Medina, associates, and the Albertsons Companies Foundation—real people living the ReSources motto of “neighbors helping neighbors.”
To learn more about Greater Vail Community Resources, its programs or how to become a volunteer, visit our website: www.resourcesvail.org
NOTE: Pic Caption: “Vail School District students enjoying their weekend “back packs” of supplemental food provided by ReSources Vail Food Bank.”
Susan Summers is a ReSources board member and Vail resident who loves golf and the beauty of the Sonoran desert. Before her retirement, she served as dean of the College of Extended Learning at California State
University, San Bernardino.
