Commissaries serve as Feds Feed Families collection sites

Courtesy Photo | Pictured here is a Feds Feed Families display from 2014 at the Fort Meade, Maryland, Commissary. Commissaries are serving as collection points for the Feds Feed Families campaign, which began June 1 and ends Aug. 31 at participating stateside military installations. (DeCA photo)  

FORT LEE, VA, UNITED STATES

06.12.2015

Story by Jessica Rouse 

Defense Commissary Agency

FORT LEE, Va. – Commissaries are serving as collection points for the Feds Feed Families campaign, which began June 1 and ends Aug. 31 at participating stateside military installations.

During this campaign, participating installations help collect items most needed by food pantries and then donate them to area food banks.

“This marks our sixth consecutive year participating in this campaign, and what could be better than helping provide food for those in need around us,” said Randy Eller, DeCA’s deputy director of logistics.

Last year, DeCA collected almost one million pounds of food donated at commissaries and given to area food banks. That represented 30 percent of the DOD’s total Feds Feed Families donation. Many stores featured donation packages provided by commissary vendors for patrons to purchase and donate on the spot.

“2014 was a great campaign year for us,” Eller said. “Our customers should be really proud – a large number of people were helped.”

Since the campaign’s inception in 2009, over 24 million pounds of food have been donated.

Once the items have been collected, installation officials will work with their commissary to deliver the items to their local food bank.

The most-needed items for donations include:

• Canned vegetables – low sodium, no salt
• Canned fruits – in light syrup or its own juices
• Canned proteins – tuna, salmon, chicken, peanut butter and beans
• Soups – beef stew, chili, chicken noodle, turkey or rice
• Condiments – tomato-based sauces, light soy sauce, ketchup, mustard, salad dressing or oils
• Snacks – individually packed snacks, crackers, trail mix, dried fruit, granola and cereal bars, pretzels and sandwich crackers
• Multigrain cereal
• 100 percent juice – all sizes, including juice boxes
• Grains – brown and white rice, oatmeal, bulgar, quinoa, couscous, pasta, and macaroni and cheese
• Paper products and household items – paper towels, napkins and cleaning supplies
• Hygiene items – diapers, deodorants (men and women), feminine products, toilet paper, tissues, soap, toothpaste and shampoo
“We want to make a difference in the communities surrounding our stores,” Eller said. “And our patrons and employees help us do that.”
This year, no goals have been set, but DOD is urging participants to do their best to top their past donations.
For more information on this campaign, go to the United States Department of Agriculture website, www.usda.gov/fedsfeedfamilies.

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit and make no profit on the sale of merchandise. Authorized patrons purchase items at cost plus a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. By shopping regularly in the commissary, patrons save an average of 30 percent or more on their purchases compared to commercial prices – savings amounting to thousands of dollars annually. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

• Date Taken: 06.12.2015
• Date Posted: 06.12.2015 14:32
• Story ID: 166451
• Location: FORT LEE, VA, US