Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Feeding the hungry in the New River Valley is easier today because of a partnership between the Virginia Tech football team, Feeding America Southwest Virginia and Kroger. Tech players presented 460 turkeys to Feeding America Southwest Virginia and three partner agencies in the New River Valley on Thursday.
The program, called "Touchdowns for Turkeys," began with Virginia Tech's first game and will conclude after the Military Bowl when Tech plays Cincinnati in Annapolis, Maryland. Kroger is donating 10 turkeys for each touchdown Tech scores this season.
Tech players brought turkeys to two food pantries in the New River Valley today:
- Pulaski Daily Bread at the First Presbyterian Church, a soup kitchen and food pantry;
- Shawsville Lay Ministerial, a food pantry.
(12/20/2018) 2018 TOUCHDOWNS FOR TURKEYS
At Pulaski Daily Bread, players served hungry families, and afterward, presented them with turkeys. In Shawsville, players gave turkeys to families. Additional turkeys based on the touchdowns Tech scores in the bowl game will be delivered later.
"Feeding America Southwest Virginia is happy to partner with Virginia Tech and Kroger in this innovative program," said Pamela Irvine, president and CEO of the food bank. "We know these turkeys will help make a brighter holiday for thousands of hungry people in the New River Valley and Southwest Virginia."
"Kroger's commitment to feed the hungry is a year-round effort," said Allison McGee, corporate affairs manager for Kroger's Mid-Atlantic Division. "We have a goal of ending hunger in our communities by 2025 in an initiative called Zero Hunger | Zero Waste," explained McGee. "No family in a community we serve should ever go hungry."
Kroger has four stores in the New River Valley.
"Our team is proud to uphold the Virginia Tech spirit of Ut Prosim, which means 'That I may serve.' This holiday season, we are privileged to partner with Feeding America Southwest Virginia and Kroger to help families in need across our area."
Feeding America Southwest Virginia distributes food and grocery related products through a network of 353 partner feeding programs in a 26-county, nine-city region that provide food or meals to those in need in Southwest Virginia annually. – VT –