HATFIELD, MA — With more than 211,000 people in Western Massachusetts in need of food assistance, it takes the support of non-profit organizations, private businesses, government agencies and dedicated individuals to help put food on their tables. The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts’ strong partnerships with local businesses is just one of the many “ingredients” in the recipe to end hunger.

For the sixth year, Big Y World Class Market is holding its Sack Hunger campaign to fight hunger in our region. From now until Dec. 30, customers are asked to donate by purchasing $10 pre-filled bags to help provide healthy staple items (including rice, peanut butter, tuna, beans and canned vegetables) to our neighbors in need. Bags collected in Big Y stores throughout Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire Counties will be donated to The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

This year, The Food Bank will distribute all of the donated food from Sack Hunger through its Brown Bag: Food for Elders program, the largest direct-to-client feeding program in Western Massachusetts. It provides a free bag of healthy groceries to eligible seniors once a month at local senior centers and community organizations. The food items are specifically selected to meet their special dietary requirements — they’re low in sugar and salt, and high in the nutrients elders need to stay healthy and active.

Last year, the Brown Bag program served more than 7,800 seniors that are facing unique challenges that contribute to food insecurity. Many are living on fixed incomes that often force them to choose between paying for food or other necessities, such as healthcare, utilities, or transportation.

Springfield resident Gwen McGowen has been a recipient of The Food Bank’s Brown Bag program for the past five years. Each month, she visits The Mayflower Senior Center in the Forest Park neighborhood of Springfield, where approximately 250 hungry seniors come out to collect the much-needed items.

“The brown bag gives me the opportunity to have a lot of different foods that I wouldn’t normally be able to buy for myself,” explains Gwen. “Things like oatmeal and tomato sauce are great to receive because I can add my own things to them.”

In addition to the healthy food, Gwen also enjoys the recipes (prepared by The Food Bank’s Nutrition Department) that accompany the items she is given. They provide tips and instruction on how to prepare vegetables that may be unfamiliar to the recipients. Gwen has also been volunteering her time to assist the Brown Bag program in her community for the past 5 years. At the Dunbar Center in Springfield, she and the other dedicated volunteers help sort and pack food provided by The Food Bank into the bags for distribution. On average, nearly 400 bags are served to seniors at the Dunbar Center each month — the largest distribution of any of The Food Bank’s Brown Bag programs.

“Lots of people come out to get their brown bags,” explains Gwen. “Some walk. Some take buses. And some take cabs if they can afford it. It is a very important part of their lives.”

For many seniors in her community, transportation is the biggest obstacle in receiving much-needed food assistance. That is why Gwen and other volunteers will deliver the bags to their friends and neighbors who aren’t able to get to the distribution location themselves.

“Everyone here is helping each other out,” says Gwen. “That’s what it’s all about.”

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The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts provides individuals facing hunger with the food they need to survive and leads communities towards long-term solutions to the problem of hunger in our region. Serving Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire Counties, The Food Bank is the leading provider of emergency food that reaches households with lower incomes in the region. We are committed to feeding our neighbors in need and leading the community to end hunger. The Food Bank believes that everyone has the right to healthy food regardless of their circumstances. For more information on how you can get involved in your community, visit www.foodbankwma.org.