BRATTLEBORO — Project Feed the Thousands organizers have announced that their recently completed campaign, now in its 28th year, has been an overwhelming success, raising more cash than last year and surpassing its meal goal of 300,000.
According to Kelli Corbeil, campaign co-chair and owner of 96.7 WTSA and 99.5 The Beast, the annual campaign brought in more than $132,000 in cash contributions, along with enough nonperishable food items to provide more than 320,000 nutritious meals during the coming months.
“Once again, the improbable happened,” George Haynes, co-founder of Project Feed the Thousands, said in a news release. “The previous year's campaign was incredibly successful, and we attributed that success to the pandemic and the public's heightened awareness of the challenges that so many of our friends and neighbors face on a daily basis.”
Corbeil echoed Haynes' sentiments.
“We set a goal of raising $100,000 and collecting nonperishable food items that would provide 300,000 meals to those in need. We knew that this was a lofty goal, but we also knew that this community has never disappointed and has always risen to whatever challenges it encountered. I am so incredibly proud of this community. When the need is the greatest, the response is the greatest.”
“In our early years, we benefited from the extreme generosity of Vermont Yankee/Entergy. Their $35,000 annual contribution was significant to say the least. In 2015, we also received over $25,000 from Brattleboro Subaru's 'Share the Love' event. At that time, we were raising approximately $80,000 to $100,000 annually, so to now be able to raise over $132,000 without these large contributions speaks to the participation, generosity, and caring of this community.”
“The generous contributions we receive from literally thousands of individuals has always been, and continues to be, a vital component to the realization of our goals,” said Corbeil. “Whether people are donating online, mailing in a check, dropping their loose change in a cash box, or buying an extra food item every time they shop, it all adds up to overwhelming success. Add the students, from K–12, who participate enthusiastically, and it's a winning formula.”
Project Feed the Thousands was first launched in 1994 by Larry Smith, then of WTSA Radio, and Haynes, former president of Brattleboro Savings & Loan. Since that time, numerous schools and businesses have become involved and the campaign has continually evolved over the years in an effort to meet the need.
Campaign enhancements have been incorporated, including the annual Fill the Bus day, Giving Tuesday, and a GoFundMe page.
Nine area food shelves will benefit from the campaign: Foodworks Food Shelf, St. Brigid's Kitchen, and Loaves & Fishes Community Kitchen, all in Brattleboro; Guilford Cares Food Pantry, Bread of Life Food Pantry in Vernon, Hinsdale (N.H.) Food Pantry, Our Place Drop-In Center in Bellows Falls, Putney Food Shelf, and Townshend Community Food Shelf.
“We simply couldn't do this without the help of so many in our community,” stated Corbeil. “Once again, everyone has come together to truly make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. We are grateful beyond measure.”