Nov 3, 2009 By Herald Standard Staff 2 min read

In light of the economic downturn, many families will have to choose between buying food and warming their homes this winter. Thanks to Fayette County Community Action Agency and Bartolotta’s Giant Eagle in Uniontown, food for the hungry is “in the bag” when they will conduct the 10th annual fall FoodShare food drive Saturday and Sunday.

Volunteers from the Uniontown and Chestnut Ridge Rotary clubs, as well as local Girl Scout troops, will be collecting donations outside Giant Eagle from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Donations also will be accepted at any time though Sunday.

During the event, Giant Eagle stores throughout the Pittsburgh area will conduct food drives to benefit the local communities. Shoppers are asked to purchase or donate non-perishable food and grocery items. Monetary donations also are accepted at Giant Eagle store registers and GetGo convenience stores.

Organizers hope to collect $70,000 and 150,000 pounds of food for needy families. All donations collected locally go directly to Fayette County residents through the Fayette County Community Action Agency Food Bank.

Annually, the Fayette County Community Action Food Bank serves about 4,700 families and 10,000 individuals through a system of 44 volunteer food pantries and numerous on-site feeding programs such as soup kitchens.

Last year, the food bank distributed more than 1.7 million pounds of food and offered emergency food assistance to hundreds of county residents who were laid off because of the state budget crisis. Each year, about 16,000 of those served were children.

For more information about the Community Action Food Bank, including information on how to register for food assistance, volunteer at the food bank, host a food drive or offer financial support, call Jamie Brink at 724-437-6050, extension 1264.