SELAH, WA - Rainier Fruit Company has paired with hungry pear shoppers and some of the nations most beloved retailers—including Harris Teeter, Wegmans, and Lunds & Byerlys—to make a big difference in local communities; in partnership with these retailers, the fruit company recently donated more than 20,000 pairs of socks to five charitable organizations.

“As growers, our first priority is to grow and sell high quality fruit. Our success affords us the opportunity to make a difference in a variety of platforms that include health and wellness, as well as community giving,” said Mark Zirkle, CEO of Rainier Fruit, in a press release. “It’s thanks to the work of our dedicated team members that ideas like Pears for Pairs take on a life of their own. In this case it allowed us to shine a light on the growing problem of homelessness and at risk populations and we look forward to growing this program and other cause marketing ideas that support our retail partners and allow them to give back in their local communities.”

According to that press release, the company’s donations were the culmination of the seasonal cause marketing program Pears for Pairs—a program providing in-store marketing to retailers with a portion of the proceeds of all Rainier Fruit pear sales being donated to the Hanes Charity Sock Drive.

Participating retailers were able to select the local charity of their choice and direct donations to where they were needed most. Rainier Fruit representatives joined retail representatives and local media at charity locations during the weeks beginning weeks of January 28^th and February 4^th. Rainier Fruit and its retail partners made individual donations of 2500 to 5000 pairs of socks per each of the following location:

• The Men’s Shelter of Charlotte, NC
• The Salvation Army of Winston-Salem, NC
• St. Stephens Human Service of Minneapolis, MN
• Victims Resource Center of Wilkes Barre, PA
• Schulykill Women in Crisis of Pottsville, PA

“As a family company, we’re committed to making a difference in the communities we serve, and always appreciate an opportunity to partner with like-minded companies, like Rainier Fruit, to make a bigger impact,” said Linda Lovejoy, Wegmans’ Community Relations Manager. “The Pears for Pairs program is a great example of how communities thrive when we all work together.”

In addition to the donation of socks, participating local charities were also able to share more information on their programs and services with local TV and print media. And Rainier Fruit noted, the donations came at a critical time, with the polar vortex delivering frigid temperatures throughout the U.S. and putting additional stress on the resources of charities that support the homeless and at risk populations—a group of more than 3.5 million individuals.

“The grocery business centers around food—not just feeding people, but also feeding neighborhoods which nourish vibrant communities,” Danna Robinson, Communications Manager at Harris Teeter, remarked. “Harris Teeter is grateful for generous partners like Rainier Fruit that allow us to make a difference through contributions to local organizations which provide help where help is needed.”

In addition to donating 20,000 pairs of socks, the Pears for Pairs program saw participating retailers drive high double-digit increases in year over year volume sales.

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Rainier Fruit Company