As the holiday season approaches, WSFS Bank is encouraging its associates, customers and communities to search their hearts, and their pantries, to donate nonperishable food items to provide meals to the food-insecure. WSFS banking locations are serving as food deposit centers as part of the Bank’s annual Fall/Winter Food Drive.
Locations in The Sun Newspapers’ coverage area include:
• Cherry Hill – West Banking Office
• Cherry Hill – East Banking Office
• Mt. Laurel Church Road Banking Office
• Moorestown Banking Office
• Delran Banking Office
• Medford Lakes Banking Office
• Tabernacle Banking Office
The pandemic has exacerbated the need for food for many, with more than 54 million people estimated to be food insecure in 2020, according to Feeding America. The nationwide trend is no less concerning in our region, where the 2020 projected food insecurity rate in Delaware (17.8 percent) exceeds the nationwide projection (16.7 percent), with Pennsylvania (15.9 percent) and New Jersey (13.5 percent) not far behind.
Through Dec. 11, WSFS will collect nonperishable food items and donate them to organizations fighting hunger in communities the bank serves, including:
• Rolling Harvest Food Rescue (Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, Pa.)
• Chester County Food Bank (Chester County, Pa.)
• Sunday Breakfast Mission (Del.)
• Burlington Township Food Pantry (Burlington and Camden counties, NJ)
“The pandemic has only increased the need for relief assistance in the region and our nonprofits are struggling to keep pace,” said Vernita L. Dorsey, Senior Vice President, Director of Community Strategy at WSFS Bank. “We welcome everyone from across our footprint to participate in the effort to stop hunger and to end food insecurity in our neighborhoods.”
“The need is great, so the collection of nonperishable food from WSFS Bank is critical,” said Rev. Tom Laymon, Sr. Pastor, President, Sunday Breakfast Mission. “More than 2,000 families throughout Delaware will have a fruitful Thanksgiving and holiday season because of this great food drive.”
“WSFS Bank has emerged as a true partner for healthy food access and hunger relief in this challenging age of COVID-19,” said Cathy Snyder, Founder and Executive Director, Rolling Harvest Food Rescue. “We are so honored to be serving with them to collect all of this great food for our neighbors in need, especially leading up to the holidays.”
The 2020 Fall Food Drive is WSFS’ 17th annual collection. In 2019, WSFS donated nearly 66,000 pounds of food to those in need thanks to the generosity of its Associates, Customers and Communities. Customers and area residents are encouraged to take their nonperishable food donations to participating WSFS banking offices. To find the nearest WSFS Bank location, please visit www.wsfsbank.com.
The WSFS Community Foundation previously provided $300,000 in grants to 21 local nonprofits engaged in the fight against COVID-19. WSFS Bank provided a $200,000 donation to four community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to utilize for relief grants to help accelerate recovery efforts of local small businesses within the Bank’s footprint. In addition, WSFS Bank and the WSFSCommunity Foundation pledged $35,500 to provide hundreds of technology devices to area students for online learning.
