Support the fight against hunger through your collection at the checkout

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – September is Hunger Action Month.

Support the fight against hunger when you pay for your groceries.

Through September, Pick 'N Save and Metro Market stores will round up their customers' donation totals to support Feeding America's local affiliates.

Shoppers can round up their purchase to the nearest dollar or donate any amount.

To celebrate the launch of this campaign, Pick 'N Save and Metro Market donated food packages to local food banks across the state on Thursday. Nearly 10,000 pounds of food was donated, which equates to approximately 8,300 meals served on kitchen tables across the state.

Emilie Williamson, Metro Market's corporate affairs manager, said these donations have a tremendous impact on the community.

“Your change will make a difference here in the Madison community that will benefit our local Feeding America partner organizations, including Second Harvest Food Bank of Southern Wisconsin,” Williamson said.

She said there has been a significant increase in the number of people visiting local food pantries, including WayForward Resources, over the past two years.

“WayForward has been in our community for over 40 years, but we have never seen such a high demand for food as we are seeing today. We are seeing a tripling in demand and the number of people coming to our food bank back then was this high only two years ago,” said Williamson.

She also stressed that demand continues to grow.

“We distribute the equivalent of 135,000 meals a month and every month we set a new record for the number of people coming to our food distribution,” she said.

The regional food banks say every cent counts.

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