Elkins 84 Lumber donates $15K to food bank

ELKINS – Representatives from 84 Lumber presented a check for $15,000 to the Mountaineer Food Bank during a presentation at the store's Beverly Five Lane location Wednesday morning.

Taking part in the ceremony from 84 Lumber were area manager Joe Camp and Elkins store manager Matt Mcdonie. The donation from 84 Lumber was one of the largest the food bank has received from the Elkins area, officials said.

Accepting the check on behalf of the Mountaineer Food Bank at the ceremony was chief development officer Breanna George. She was joined by MFB truck driver Tim Griffin.

With 84 Lumber being a presenting sponsor of this year's U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree initiative, representatives from the U.S. Forest Service also took part in the ceremony. USFS supervisor Shawn Cochran, and USFS deputy forest supervisor Robert West were on hand for the check presentation.

This was the first time Elkins 84 Lumber has partnered with MFB, which annually distributes more than 17 million meals to food-insecure residents in 48 of West Virginia's 55 counties.

The donation from 84 Lumber will go directly toward helping local families during the upcoming holiday season when the Mountaineer Food Bank typically sees an increase in need.

Mountaineer Food Bank has already made four food stops in Randolph County this year and has two more scheduled. MFB will be at the Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church on Oct. 14 and at 4-H Camp Pioneer on Dec. 7.

Mountaineer Food Bank is a member of Feeding America and is the largest emergency food provider in West Virginia, serving families, children, seniors, veterans and individuals at risk of hunger.

More than 200,000 individuals in West Virginia are considered food insecure due to lacking consistent access to enough nutritious food to fuel a healthy life. To combat the problem, MFB distributes food and other essentials to those in need through a network of more than 460 community partners.

In addition, MFB also provides programs and services aimed at helping families and individuals at risk of hunger. Those programs include the Mobile Pantry Program, Veterans Table Program, Child Hunger Programs, Senior Feeding Programs, and Food for Health.

For more information about the Mountaineer Food Bank, go to its Facebook page or visit mountaineerfoodbank.org.