GASSAWAY, W.Va. (WBOY) – The Mountaineer Food Bank received $100,000 gift from Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health on Thursday.
This donation supports the Veterans Table Feeding Program, which serves more than 1,200 veterans in the State of West Virginia.
$100,000 check from Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health given to Mountaineer Food Bank.. (WBOY Image) 
$100,000 gift to Mountaineer Food Bank. (WBOY Image.) 
Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health gets a tour of the Food Bank. (WBOY Image.) 
Tour of Mountaineer Food Bank (WBOY Image) 
Tour of Mountaineer Food Bank (WBOY Image)
“We are hoping that this check will enable particularly those who are most vulnerable and veterans to get more sustainable access to food and higher quality foods than they might be able to afford,” said Jim Fawcett, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia President.
The Veterans Table Program is a monthly food box that’s delivered by the Mountaineer Food Bank with shelf-stable food items.
“It’s all for veterans, it’s for their service, it’s for what they have done for our country, and we thought it was adamant that we had to do something to meet their needs when they were struggling,” said Chad Morrison, CEO Mountaineer Food Bank.
Morrison is excited that they can expand and fill in the gaps of coverage with this new funding, and said there are 9,000 veterans who struggle with food insecurity in West Virginia.
“We know that there is a gap in our services, and this gift today is going to help us close some of those gaps in West Virginia,” Morrison said. “Today’s funding is going to get us a little bit closer to feeding more veterans in the state of West Virginia.”
Morrison said the Mountaineer Food Bank needs more partners and donors like Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health.
“It takes us all working together to make this work, and when it comes to hunger, there is a lot of gaps we have, so when we have donors step up and make some truly landmark donations like this, it really means something to the food bank, our staff and all the people we are serving,” Morrison said.
Mountaineer Food Bank serves 48 out of 55 counties in West Virginia and distributes food to over 450 partner feeding programs like food pantries, soup kitchens and backpack programs.
The Veterans Table Program is only offered to veterans, but if you are a veteran trying to find out more information about this program click here.
If you would like to make a donation and support the Mountaineer Food Bank click here.
