Southern Tier Check Out Hunger Drive Begins

The Food Bank of the Southern Tier’s annual Check Out Hunger fundraiser is getting off the ground.

Now, through March 5, shoppers at several grocery stores in the region can purchase $2, $3 or $5 coupons that will to go toward buying food for food banks, the child back pack program, the Mobile Food Pantry, and meals at soup kitchens and other community-based programs.

Food Bank officials say the Check Out campaign, that allows donors to just tack their contribution onto their regular grocery bill, is the agency’s largest fundraising campaign of the year.

Last year, the effort raised nearly $268,000.

Information on fighting hunger can be found at www.FoodBankST.org.