Big Y’s ‘Sack Hunger’ Bags 162K-plus Lbs. of Food

Big Y’s 3rd annual “Sack Hunger” campaign, held in November and December 2012 with the goal of providing 15,000 bags to needy local residents netted a grand total of 16,283 Sack Hunger bags. Customers purchased the $10 bags at all Big Y Supermarkets and Fresh Acres locations, with the food sent to local food banks in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The food drive's brown reusable grocery bags filled with nonperishable Big Y brand food included instant rice, elbow macaroni, cut green beans, peanut butter, kidney beans, whole-kernel corn, chunk light tuna and quick oats.

The five food banks that received Sack Hunger bags were the Connecticut Food Bank, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Worcester County Food Bank, Foodshare of Greater Hartford and Greater Boston Food Bank. Representing more than 2,100 member agencies, these food banks are distributing the sacks to area soup kitchens, food pantries, senior food programs, day care centers and many other agencies.

Big Y will hold its 4th annual Sack Hunger campaign next fall.

Springfield, Mass.-based Big Y is one of the largest independently owned supermarket chains in New England. The family-owned and –operated grocery chain operates 64 locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts, with more than 10,000 employees.