Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
A food pantry that serves a large area surrounding Mentone is getting another boost from Meijer.
Mary and Jerry’s Helping Hands is teaming up with the Meijer supermarket in Warsaw for a fundraiser that continues through the middle of September.
Until Sept. 15, the store will match any $10 donation from customers. And for two days – on Friday and Saturday – the store will double its donation.
The food bank at 10274 W. CR 600S, south of Mentone, has been operating for 29 years and the current fundraiser is one of the better arrangements, according to Jerry Secrist, who operates the food bank with his wife, Mary.
Secrist said the same program earlier this year raised $5,000 and he’s hoping for similar results this time.
Meijer’s participation is part of its national Simply Give promotion, which began in 2008 and has generated nearly $32 million in assistance for food banks, according to the company website.
Meijer stores partner with local food pantries during campaigns to ensure that all donations generated remain within local communities.
The company operates the campaigns three times a year during the spring, fall and Christmas holiday season.
During each campaign, customers are encouraged to purchase a $10 Simply Give donation card upon checkout. Once purchased, the donation is converted into a Meijer Food-Only Gift Card and donated directly to the food pantry.
Instead of determining what food to donate to our food pantry partners, the Simply Give program allows the pantry to choose the grocery items best suited for the families they serve, the company website said.
The Meijer store is east of the Ind. 15 and U.S. 30 interchange on Warsaw’s north side. The address is 1200 Lake City Highway.
