SACRAMENTO, CA - It’s easy to forget about how much good we are able to provide our communities until we actually sit back and think about the work we do, day in and day out. With that in mind, Raley’s hopped on an opportunity to cultivate a better Sacramento region through fresh produce. The West Sacramento, California-based retailer donated 25,000 pounds of fresh apples to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services for an event held at Howe Park in Sacramento, California, on Tuesday, May 8^th. The donation is part of the retail chain’s ongoing participation with Take a Bite Out of Hunger™, a program sponsored by FirstFruits Marketing of Washington. Tuesday’s event benefited those within the local community needing healthy food options, providing the apples to Produce for All.

“The event was pretty amazing! To be able to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to Sacramento communities in need of these options is really rewarding. Many of those attending this event don’t have access to fresh produce, so it’s really exciting we’re able to help provide it for them,” Raley’s Senior Director of Produce, Greg Corrigan, says to me. "We have fresh apples, strawberries, potatoes, and onions for people to be able to use throughout the week. There was one person who wasn’t sure of how to use strawberries, so some of the education processes have been really great. People are able to learn how to prepare some of the things they are getting.”

All in all, there were 178 households who found food relief thanks to Raley’s support of the community’s need for fresh food offerings. When tallied, the numbers amounted to 347 adults, 415 children, 36 seniors, for a grand total of 798 people.

“Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services is so thankful for this incredible donation because we’re trying to get healthy food for families in need in our community. Produce for All comes out to 15 different locations every month within Sacramento, and our goal is to be at a location that is closest for families to walk, ride their bike, or take public transportation. They are learning about beautifully-grown produce,” Vice President of Communications and Marketing for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, Kelly Siefkin, tells me of the event.

The assistance that Raley’s provided at this event is just one example in a series of commitments by the retailer, proving community is embedded in the chain’s makeup. Since the program’s inception in 2010, Raley’s has donated more than 1.8 million pounds of fresh apples have to help local food banks feed those in need. This drive helps the company to connect with consumers.

“At Raley’s, we feel we have a higher responsibility to the communities in which we serve than to just sell them goods, but to really be part of the fabric of the community, and that means feeding people. We are not just feeding people with means, but feeding people within our community holistically. This is a great event, and we really loved partnering with FirstFruits Marketing of Washington,” Raley’s Category Manager for Produce, Michael Schutt, says. “To be able to come out here today and make sure all these people walk away with a generous donation of fresh apples is outstanding. Many of the people who go to these type of events are offered high-caloric and low-nutrient value food, so to really flip that equation upside down and offer nutrient-dense and fresh food is incredible.”

FirstFruits Marketing was built with a focus on delivering to those in need Regional Marketing Manager of FirstFruits Marketing, Tim Corkill, says to me. To do this, the company reaches out both globally and locally with programs like Take a Bite Out of Hunger. With programs like these, he explains, there are 1 in 5 people, or 20 percent of the population, that are food underserved in the Sacramento region. This gives the company the opportunity to get delicious fruits and vegetables into the households that really need them.

Thanks to Raley’s participation, those walking away from the event will have healthier food options for themselves and their families, as well as the education needed to make the most of their delicious goods.

Raley's