Fruit, Veggie Donations Produce Event Success

Oct. 10, 2007 - Erie Insurance’s latest community partnership helped feed needy families throughout the Erie area. Erie Insurance, along with Saint Vincent Health Center, teamed with the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania for Community Harvest for Hunger.

Employees donated 764 pounds of food during the course of the event. In all, the partnership contributed more than 1,300 pounds to the Second Harvest Food Bank.

The seven-week drive ended Sept. 30. During that time period, a Second Harvest Food Bank truck sat outside of Erie Insurance’s Home Office every Wednesday from 7 a.m. until noon. Employees donated fresh fruits and vegetables, often grown in their own gardens.

Melissa Ferrie, events and community relations planner in Corporate Communications, helped organize and publicize the event to Employees. “The program was a big hit for gardeners who enjoyed a plentiful growing season,” Ferrie said. “Community Harvest for Hunger enabled them to donate fresh produce that otherwise may have gone to waste.”

Karen Seggi, director of the Second Harvest Food Bank, spoke highly of Erie Insurance’s involvement. “Erie Insurance does so much for so many programs in the community,” Seggi said. “It just seemed like a perfect fit for us to work together on this project.”

Community Harvest for Hunger produce donations made a difference for struggling local families. Seggi said that parents want to be able to feed their families healthy food but they cannot always afford it. “Second Harvest provides that possibility and Erie Insurance’s support helped make it a reality for many families in our area,” Seggi said.

Second Harvest Food Bank is the largest non-profit food distribution center in northwestern Pennsylvania. It solicits, receives, inventories, stores and distributes food and grocery products to more than 230 member agencies in 11 counties.

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