Goodfellow collects over 500 pounds of food for Feds Feed Families

  • Published
  • By 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Goodfellow donated more than 500 pounds of canned goods to food banks during the Feds Feed Families campaign this year which is a 40 percent increase from last year.

Team Goodfellow contributed to this year's Feds Feed Families campaign through drop-off boxes placed in every unit on base July through Aug. 31.

Feds Feed Families encourages federal workers to donate food and other non-perishable items to local food banks to replenish supplies during the summer months, which is considered a time when food banks traditionally see a drop-off in donations and children lack access to free lunch programs.

These 500 pounds contributed to the 740,000 pounds other commissary customers and employees donated to local food banks and other charitable organizations.

Commissaries served as collection points for canned goods on military installations and received a 10 percent Defense Department wide increase in donations over last year's efforts. Goodfellow itself saw a 40 percent increase, which Rouse attributes to Airmen setting up drop-off boxes across the base.

"This significant increase came from the participation of the many units on base," said Donald Rouse, Goodfellow Commissary store director.

On each drop-off box there was a most wanted items list contributors can reference to when shopping for items. Most wanted items included canned fruits and vegetables; multigrain cereal; grains such as rice and oatmeal; canned protein such as canned beans, tuna, salmon and peanut butter; soups; condiments; baking goods; hygiene items; paper products; household items and snacks.

This campaign gave commissary customers and employees the opportunity to give back to their local communities. Rouse says he feels that this is one of the most important aspects of the program.

"Feds Feed Families is an important campaign to Goodfellow," said Rouse. "Goodfellow got another chance to take care of their own."

This year, the DeCA total of 739,611 pounds represents a 10 percent increase. Commissaries sold prepared donation packages, allowing customers to purchase the package and drop them in donation bins as they left the store.