Marshall County Schools Teams with Salvation Army for Shield Against Hunger Food Drive
Food banks across the region are experiencing increased strains on their pantries as the need for food assistance continues to rise. To help meet this need, The Salvation Army in Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel and Tyler Counties is partnering with Marshall County Schools, Ohio County Schools, Wheeling Catholic Central High School, The Linsly School, and WTRF to launch the Shield Against Hunger food drive that will run from March 7th-21st.
Last year, the Shield Against Hunger food drive collected nearly 4,000 pounds of food that helped keep The Salvation Army food pantry shelves stocked into early fall. This year, due to the increased community need, The Salvation Army has increased their goal to 6,000 pounds to meet the growing need.
Students and community supporters will be able to drop off nonperishable food items to any public school, K-12, Wheeling Catholic Central High School, The Linsly School, or The Salvation Army admin offices at either 140 16th St. in Wheeling or 248 Jefferson Ave in Moundsville.
The food gathered during this year’s Shield Against Hunger food drive will help to feed not only those seeking food assistance but also those participating in youth and senior programming at The Salvation Army.
Lt. John Lawrence said this food drive is pivotal to The Salvation Army’s ability to meet the need for food gaps in the community.
“This is our biggest food drive of the year. We’ve seen a sharp increase in the number of requests for food over the past year, particularly for items that are non-perishable like rice, noodles, and canned vegetables. We’re hoping that the food donated to our Shield Against Hunger campaign will be able to stock our shelves well into fall. We believe that partnering with our local school systems is the best way to make sure this is a success because they are closest to the need.”
There are many ongoing opportunities to volunteer and get involved at The Salvation Army during the year. Please contact us at (304) 233-4400, visit us at 140 16th St. in Wheeling and 248 Jefferson Ave. in Moundsville, or go to wheeling.salvationarmypotomac.org to find out how you can support The Salvation Army year-round.