JANE LEW, W.Va. – Two local groups have teamed up to help fight food insecurity in North Central West Virginia.

The Antero Foundation and Mountaineer Food Bank have partnered up as part of the ‘We’re Here’ campaign. Antero matched the $150,000 raised by Mountaineer Food Bank throughout the course of the campaign to help provide food to those in need. The two groups held a press conference about the new partnership on Friday at the Mountaineer Food Bank event at Jacksons Mill.

“This launch today of the ‘We’re Here’ campaign and the Antero match is really exciting for our organization just to have that type of partnership.,” said Mountaineer Food Bank director Chad Morrison.

In West Virginia, more than 250,000 people struggle with hunger, and, of them, nearly 75,000 are children. Located in Gassaway, Mountaineer Food Bank provides food and other household items to homes in 48 counties across the state.

The Food Bank is also involved in organizing soup kitchens, backpack programs, mobile food pantries, senior programs, and shelters, and, as the state’s largest emergency food provider, supplies 20.7 million pounds of food annually in collaboration with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture.

“The Antero Foundation will be seeking to support those causes that are important to our employees, they’re important to the communities where we work and live,” said Kevin Ellis with the Antero Foundation.

Mountaineer Food Bank officials explained that the organization is excited to be able to partner with Antero to continue this mission.

“The ‘We’re Here’ campaign is about reminding West Virginia communities about what Mountaineer Food Bank does, why we do it, and how under any circumstances Mountaineer Food Bank is out here delivering food,” said Morrison.

The Foundation’s support for anti-hunger programs in West Virginia continues Antero’s annual efforts to recognize community food programs across the north-central West Virginia area. Since 2016, the company has donated more than $150,000 toward food programs in the state.

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