PHOENIX — The growling of an empty stomach is familiar to anyone who has skipped lunch on a busy day, but this hollow feeling is a daily reality for one in five Arizona families. September is Hunger Action Month, and U-Haul has unveiled its plan to assist St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance in the fight against hunger through food donations, financial resources and a designated volunteer day.
As part of St. Mary’s “30 Ways in 30 Days” to alleviate hunger in Arizona, U-Haul is hosting a two-week food drive competition at its Phoenix headquarters to see which departments can collect the most food.
On Sept. 20, U-Haul will deliver the collected food and Team Members will donate their time to help pack emergency food boxes in the St. Mary’s main warehouse at 2831 N. 31st Ave. As part of the festivities, U-Haul will present a check for St. Mary’s to purchase a year’s supply of food drive collection boxes – boasting the U-Haul logo – and provide 35,000 meals to those in need.
“As a St. Mary’s ‘Hunger Hero,’ U-Haul is touching all three areas by sponsoring our food drive box program, holding a food drive at its corporate offices and filling our warehouse with volunteers to build emergency food boxes for those in need,” St. Mary’s Director of Public Relations Jerry Brown said.
“This trifecta of giving shows U-Haul Company’s commitment to ending hunger in our state.”
St. Mary’s, a longstanding charitable partner of U-Haul, is the nation’s first food bank and one of its largest with a strong commitment to fighting hunger in Arizona.
“St. Mary’s Food Bank and U-Haul are synonymous with Arizona’s history and have worked together for decades to help alleviate hunger in our state,” St. Mary’s President and CEO Tom Kertis said. “The ownership and employees of U-Haul have supported St. Mary’s as volunteers and through their annual Thanksgiving turkey donation program. Sponsoring our food donation boxes allows us to reach even more of Arizona’s hungry and we salute our friends at U-Haul for taking our partnership to the next level.”
You can join U-Haul and St. Mary’s in the fight against hunger by donating food, volunteering your time or making a financial contribution through St. Mary’s website. Every $1 donated translates to seven pounds of food, so let the giving begin as the holiday season approaches!
