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Woodforest Charitable Foundation Donates $15,000 to Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina

Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina Receives $15,000 Donation

Photo Caption:Woodforest Bank Branch Mangers from across the state joined Kim Marling, Vice President/Executive Director of Woodforest Charitable Foundation; Jessica Ramirez, North Carolina Regional Vice President and Allen Reep, Vice President of Development for Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

RALEIGH, North Carolina (June 14, 2010) – Woodforest Charitable Foundation recently donated $15,000 to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

Sadly, hunger remains a serious problem in central and eastern North Carolina.  Almost half a million people in the Food Bank's 34 county service area struggle each day.  Over 163,000 of these people are children.  In an effort to eliminate childhood hunger the Woodforest Charitable Foundation directed its contribution to the Food Bank’s Kids Café and BackPack programs.

Established in 1980, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is a non-profit organization that provides food to people at risk of hunger in central and eastern North Carolina. In 2009, the Food Bank distributed over 36.8 million pounds of food through 800 partner agencies including soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and after school programs for children.

The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina works with elementary and middle schools to provide food for children over the weekend through its BackPack program.  This program is placed at schools where 80% or more of the students are eligible for free and reduced-cost meals.  The Program allows children to bring home nutritious food when other resources are not available, such as on the weekends or during school vacations.  Backpacks are filled with child-friendly, non-perishable, and vitamin fortified food, as well as educational activities.

The Food Bank also fights against childhood hunger by supporting its 25 Kids Café program sites.  Kids Café programs provide free meals and snacks to low-income children through a variety of existing community locations such as after school programs and churches.  In addition to providing meals to hungry kids, Kids Café programs offer a safe place, where under the supervision of trustworthy staff, a child can get involved in educational, recreational and social activities.
For more information about the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, please call (919) 875-0707, visit www.foodbankcenc.org or e-mail info@foodbankcenc.org.

The Woodforest Charitable Foundation was created by Woodforest National Bank in 2005 as a direct result of its desire to support and invest in the communities in which it serves.  The Foundation is creating a legacy of commitment to those in need, enriching lives and communities through dedicated leadership and faithful administration by providing funding to qualifying 501(c)(3) charities. For additional information regarding The Woodforest Charitable Foundation, call (832) 375-CARE (2273) or visit the foundation’s website at www.woodforestcharitablefoundation.org.

Celebrating 30 years of service and ranked among the top earning banks in the United States, the Woodforest family of banks currently has assets of approximately $3.2 billion and services more than 770,000 customers with branches in excess of 700 throughout fifteen states: Texas, Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. For information about Woodforest National Bank, please call 832-375-2000 or visit the bank’s website at www.woodforest.com.