Working the Food-A-Bago Is Rewarding Work

As I'm sure you've heard by now, we are in the middle of our annual Food-A-Bago campaign to collect non-perishable food items and monetary donations to help CHOW feed the hungry here in Broome County.

I look forward to the Food-A-Bago every year. Sure, it adds more hours to my work day and extends my work week into the weekend, but it is such a rewarding feeling knowing that you are doing your part to help people that are in desperate need right here in the Binghamton area.

This year more than ever, CHOW needs all the support they can get. They said that they had five times as many people requesting food during the pandemic than they had last year. There are a lot of people that have lost their jobs since the pandemic started and have turned to CHOW to supply them with food for themselves and their children. Some of the people that are asking CHOW for help have contributed to the Food-A-Bago food drive in years past.

This year, due to Covid-19 we decided not to do the “shopping cart challenge”. In years past, groups of employees from restaurants, bars, doctors offices, and even police departments, would go shopping in a group and donate shopping carts full of food, and then challenge their peers to do the same. We didn't want to put pressure on people who would feel uncomfortable doing that during the pandemic. If you still want to donate shopping carts full of food, that would be awesome! But we will hold on challenging other to match your donation until next year.

As you know CHOW can buy food much cheaper then you or I can. For every dollar you donate, CHOW can buy four complete meals for local families in need. So instead of going inside and shopping, you can donate cash, or a check made out to Music For The Mission, and CHOW will make every dollar go a very long way. And truly no monetary donation is too small.

We are collecting the food and money at the Weis Food Market on Upper Front St. in Binghamton, but we
also have drop off locations at 21st Century Pools & Spas on the Parkway in Vestal, and Gary's U-Pull-It on Colesville Road in Binghamton. Or, you can securely donate to our cause by clicking here.

Whatever you can do, please help us. Even if you can't donate money or food, you could share this post on your Facebook page and that might encourage other people that can give to give.

I'm sure once you donate, you will get that great feeling of helping your neighbors in need just like we do by working the Food-A-Bago every year.

Thank you!