Vitalia Active Adult Community – Montrose Recognizes National Food Bank Day

To recognize National Food Bank Day on September 2nd, VITALIA Active Adult Community® – Montrose will be participating in a canned food drive with a goal of bringing awareness to those that go hungry. As the Culinary Director, I am honored to be a part of this important day, held annually on the first Friday in September.

John van Hengel is credited with starting the first food bank in 1967 to redistribute food and prevent the wastage of groceries by handing it out to the poor and hungry. National Food Bank Day is not only a reminder that no one should go to bed hungry, but also a day to honor those workers, volunteers, and food bank charities who work to distribute food year-around.

We are donating to The Salvation Army – Summit County. The Salvation Army is an organization that goes beyond just being a food bank. They provide many different resources to the community for those in need, including a family store (clothing, small wares, accessories), disaster survivor help, empowering youth, hot shower program, Red Shield Food Pantry, Choice Pantry, and hot meals program.

My Grandpa Bill was the one who opened my eyes to the good The Salvation Army does for the community. It’s not just a place to donate used goods to, it’s an organization that reaches so many different levels of need. “Every day we help thousands of people throughout Summit County. Wherever there is a need, we are right next door to uplift our neighbors in need and provide hope.”

We will be collecting and donating canned vegetables, dry goods, and grocery items. I feel it’s important to donate to local food banks because no matter your income level, success, or status, anyone could be at risk for needing help at some point in their lives whether due to natural disasters, man-made disasters, economic hardship, or unexpected health concerns. It is important that we support the organization that supports our community in so many ways when we need them most.

Good nutrition is the foundation of our lives. It is important because nourishment is perhaps the most important biological need for each one of us regardless of who you are.

In the US alone, about 42 million people struggle with food insecurity. Our team is hopeful we can make a positive impact on those numbers by supporting for our local food banks in honor of National Food Bank Day. We will be delivering our non-perishable items on September 2nd and look forward to sharing with you all what a difference we all can make when we give a little.