On January 9, United Food Operation, Inc. (UFO) began its 33rd season of supplying food to 12 community food pantries in Kanawha and Putnam counties of West Virginia.
UFO Chairwoman Elaine Harris announced the start of the group’s winter food drive at the kickoff event. This year’s food drive is dedicated in honor of Sylvia Mae Jones, who was formerly a receptionist at Bayer CropScience and a long-time supporter of UFO.
The meeting took place at Charleston’s Mountain Mission, which is one of the food pantries that benefits from the UFO program. Fund raising activity heated up fast as several donations were received from area work systems. Bayer Corp., ICL Group, and Dupont all stepped up to provide significant support for this year’s campaign.
Bayer Corp. makes a much needed donation to support United Food Operation’s 2015 food drive. Pictured are, from left, Cliff Means, UFO Vice Chairman and Bayer CropScience employee; UFO’s Elaine Harris; and Connie Stewart, QSHE Manager, Bayer CropScience, Institute plant.
United Food Operation depends on the caring and generosity of workers and companies around the Kanawha Valley to provide the funds needed to fight hunger in the region. UFO is an all volunteer operation, with no salaries, and operates out of donated warehouse space at Institute, WV.
Elaine Harris accepts a generous donation from ICL Group, (formerly known as Clearon) represented by John Kadlec, Director of Operations, South Charleston plant.
Because UFO operates with almost no overhead, all the funds it raises in the annual food drive can go toward purchasing food, which it then supplies to the community food pantries free of charge.
Dupont shows its unity with the UFO 2015 campaign by making a welcomed donation of funds. Pictured from left to right are Jim O’Connor, plant manager, Dupont Belle Works; Pam Valentine, UFO volunteer and DuPont retiree; and UFO’s Elaine Harris.
Each Saturday from January through March, food pantry vehicles arrive at the UFO warehouse located in the Institute Industrial Park, to pick up a free load of packaged foods. This food is a big help to the pantries that are often strapped to meet the large need they find in their communities.
State Senator Chris Walters (at right) attended the program kickoff to show his support for the efforts of food pantries to feed the hungry. Also pictured are UFO’s Joseph Davenport and Elaine Harris.
United Food Operation receives support from a variety of employers and individuals around Kanawha and Putnam counties. Elaine Harris emphasized that more support is needed this season in order for the group to meets its goals. Business or individuals wishing to help can contact Harris at 304-342-2023.
United Food Operation Chairperson Elaine Harris leads the discussion, as program volunteers and community food pantry representatives brainstorm on enhancing the 2015 winter food distribution program.
Many ideas were contributed as United Food Operation, Inc. (UFO) held its organization meeting for the 2015 winter food distribution season. With the treasurer’s report showing the group will begin the 2015 program season with about $8,000 less than last year, much of the discussion centered on fundraising.
“We understand money is tight, but still there are those who need our help,” said Elaine Harris, UFO chairperson as she expressed the group’s commitment to find more resources.
The organization will conduct its 33rd annual food distribution program from January 9 to March 28, 2015. The program helps 12 local food pantries in Kanawha and Putnam counties get through the tough winter months.
It was determined that UFO needs to raise an additional $36,000 between now and the end of March if it is to maintain the same level of support it provided food pantries last year.
Each year, United Food Operation program provides additional food to the pantries during a 12-week winter-to-spring period — a time during which many families struggle with high heating bills that cut into their food budgets. UFO provides this support to the pantries at no cost to them.
The 2015 program will again operate out of space donated by Bayer CropScience at the Institute Industrial Park.
“We really appreciate Bayer’s providing us warehouse distribution space for the upcoming year,” Harris said. “They have been so generous through the years. I don’t know where we’d be without them.”
The 2015 distribution center will be located next door to the building that has been used the past several years. The former distribution center building is scheduled for demolition as the industrial park continues to experience changes and redevelopment.
Pantry representatives and UFO volunteers discuss the upcoming United Food Operation program season, which begins January 9, 2015.
Food pantry representatives at the meeting included those from Five Loaves–Two Fish, Poca; Nitro Community Services; EnAct, Inc, which operates in Clendenin, Montgomery and Chesapeake; Christian Community Cupboard, Hurricane; Covenant House, Charleston; Mountain Mission, Charleston; Sissonville Community Food Pantry; The Salvation Army, Charleston; and St. Albans Community Food Pantry. Representatives from Heart and Hand of South Charleston were unable to attend the meeting but will also participate again this winter.
United Food Operation, Inc. is a total volunteer operation with no paid staff and operates out of donated warehouse and office space. All donations it receives from the public go to purchase food.
Around the region, the annual Letter Carriers food drive on May 10 netted over 50,000 pounds of donated food that will be distributed to West Virginia food pantries.
At the main post office in Charleston dozens of United Food Operation, Inc. (UFO) volunteers turned out to unload food from postal trucks and move it to the waiting UFO tractor trailer. A rainy day did not dampen the spirits of the volunteers nor of the members of the National Association Letter Carriers (NALC) Local 531, as approximately 21,000 pounds of food donated by postal patrons was received and reloaded at this site.
It takes a lot of volunteers to pull off a day like this and Charleston area organizations were very generous. Those offering volunteers included the Communication Workers of America, Local 2001; American Federation of Teachers, Putnam County Local 4639; Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, Charleston Chapter; National Association of Letter Carriers, Local 531; Charleston Professional Fire Fighters, IAFF Local 317; Heart and Hand of South Charleston; International Association of Machinists, Local 656; International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 175; International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 132; United Food Operation, Inc.; WV AFL-CIO; and the WV Governor’s Office.
Governor Earl Ray Tomblin proclaimed May 10, 2014 as Letter Carriers Food Drive day. in the photo, Governor’s Office representative Jason Williams presents a copy of the proclamation to Tim McKay, official of Letter Carriers Local 531.
With the day having been proclaimed by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin as Letter Carriers Food Drive Day, the large haul of donated food will be spread among pantries around south central and western West Virginia. The 21,000 pounds of food given to United Food Operation will be shared with the 13 pantries it supports in Kanawha and Putnam counties. This food will be an immediate help to those in need in the Kanawha Valley.
** Click on the photos to view enlargements of our volunteers **
Buffalo Soldiers MC, Charleston WV ChapterThis great group came from AFT Putnam County.The West Virginia Army National Guard picked up food from out lying postal centers and brought it to the downtown office.Professional Fire Fighters from Charleston, WV. Charleston Fire Fighters are regular volunteers with UFO on Friday morning’s each winter.(L to R) David Mullins of IUOE Local 132,, his wife Ekta, and Todd Mullins, president of the Kanawha Valley Labor Council.Don Fraley of Teamsters Local 175 drove the tractor and trailer and made two trips back and forth between the post office and the UFO warehouse.Members of Communication Workers of America can always be counted on.This crew of United Food Operation regular volunteers stayed all day.NALC members and volunteers.NALC members and volunteers.
Details of the day
Postal delivery trucks arrive at the post office at the end of their day bringing back the donated food they have collected from postal patrons.
The donated food is loaded into large dump bins by United Food Operation volunteers.
Once these dump bins are filled they are moved over to the weighing area.
Each bin is placed on the scale and weighed.
Full bins typically weigh in the area of 800-900 pounds.
Bins are then loaded into the UFO trailer and hauled to the UFO warehouse in Institute.
This tractor and trailer was provided, at no cost to United Food Operation, by Yellow Freight. This is the kind of contribution that allows UFO to put all the funds it raises toward buying food. We thank Yellow Freight and all the others who made this successful day possible.
UFO will now distribute all the food donated from the Letter Carriers drive to its participating local food pantries . With the completion of this project, 2014 UFO distributions season will come to a close. Over the summer and fall months UFO will raise the funds needed to kick off its Winter 2015 program, which begins in January.
United Food Operation (UFO) will again be joining in partnership with the National Association of Letter Carriers for their annual food drive on Saturday, May 10. UFO Chairperson Elaine Harris said the program is in need of volunteers that day.
Work unloading donated food will begin at 1:00 PM and end around 7:00 PM. Food and soft drinks will be provided for volunteers. If you can help out for an hour or two or three on May 10, please contact Nancy Grist at ngrist@cwa-union.org or (304) 342-2023.
Work sites will be at the loading docks area of the main Charleston Post Office on Washington Street and at the United Food Operation distribution center in Institute.
Charleston radio station WQBE was honored Saturday by the United Food Operation for its support of food charity programs. Pictured from left to right are Al Woody and Jeff Jeffries, both of WQBE; Joseph Davenport and Elaine Harris, both of U.F.O.; and Rick Webb of WQBE.
For its contribution to fighting hunger in the Kanawha Valley, Charleston radio station WQBE-FM was honored by United Food Operation on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014.
Elaine Harris, chair of U.F.O., presented a plaque to WQBE radio personalities Jeff Jeffries and Al Woody for their long term commitment to and support of the United Food Operation that puts food on the shelves of 13 food pantries in Kanawha and Putnam counties.
This plaque was presented to WQBE by the United Food Operation on February 22, 2014.
Harris thanked Jeffries and Woody for all they do, and it is a lot. Jeffries and Woody routinely encourage public support for food charities in their regular broadcasts and, for the past three years, have provided a live remote broadcast for United Food Operation events. Their efforts have assisted U.F.O. in raising thousands of dollars used to purchase food that is then provided free-of-charge to 13 food pantries in Kanawha and Putnam counties of West Virginia.
WQBE is a community-spirited station owned and operated by Bristol Broadcasting Company, Inc. It broadcasts its country music format at 97.5 on the FM dial.
Over $6,000 in cash and food donations were received during United Food Operation’s (UFO) mid-winter event held on Saturday morning, Feb. 22, at its Institute distribution center.
“This will fund another week of food distributions to local pantries,” an appreciative UFO Chair Elaine Harris said. She explained that donations have been somewhat lower over the past year and the program needed this mid-winter boost.
Charleston radio station WQBE provided a two-hour live remote broadcast from the event. This is the third year the station has donated a remote broadcast to help publicize the need for donations.
Todd Mullins of the Kanawha Valley Labor Council is interviewed by WQBE radio about his group’s participation in United Food Operation.
Standing out among Saturday’s contributions were donations from Communications Workers of America Local 2001, IVS Hydro, Kanawha Valley Labor Council, and employees at wvOASIS–WV Auditor’s Office.
Jennifer Namey of wvOASIS drops off a station wagon full of donated food. wvOASIS is the project developing the new financial management system for state government.
UFO volunteer event manager Joseph Davenport offered special thanks the everyone who participated.
“The day was a great success with area businesses, local unions, retirees, community organizations, volunteers, and a state government agency all participating,” he said.
The day began as a usual Saturday with loading food into the food pantry vehicles. UFO supports 13 food pantries in Kanawha and Putnam counties of West Virginia. Unlike some food banks, UFO gives its food to the pantries free-of-charge.
UFO volunteer Joe Davenport moves a pallet of donated foods into the warehouse where it will be sorted for distribution to local food pantries.
United Food Operation distributions will continue this year each Saturday through April 12. All donated funds received before that time will be used to add additional food to the amount distributed to each participating pantry.
Empty pallets shown at the end of Saturday morning’s distribution to 13 food pantries. These pallets will need to be restocked with more food before next Saturday.
Come to the United Food Operation warehouse on Saturday, (Feb. 22) for a mid-winter celebration of the 2014 food drive. Bring nonperishable food or monetary donations. WQBE will be there with a live remote broadcast. Location: Institute Industrial Park.
Winter weather has hit the Kanawha Valley with a vengeance, which means it surely must be time again for United Food Operation (UFO) to get down to business. Accordingly, the Charleston-based all-volunteer organization will kick off its 32nd annual food distribution program on January 24 and run it through April 12 this year.
Elaine Harris, who has served as the program chair since its inception in 1981, said UFO will work out of the same distribution center at the Bayer Crop Science facility in Institute that it has been using for several years.
“Donations are down,” she said. “Cupboards are bare. We need sponsors to help bring in food. It’s tax-deductible.”
Numerous area employers support the program but more are needed, Harris said. She explained that, unlike many other food banks, UFO does not charge the pantries for the food it provides them.
“They have enough issues finding the resources to keep operating,” she said. “We just want to help them get over the winter hump.”
Pantry leaders say they are hard pressed in the cold weather season to keep up with the increased demand for their services. Demand is higher in winter months for a number of reasons but the primary one is higher utility bills for heating leave less in the famlly budget for food.
At the Institute distribution center, UFO volunteers will collect, receive, and sort food on Fridays and distribute it to pantries on Saturday mornings during the 10-week period. Thirteen food pantries in Putnam and Kanawha counties participate in the UFO program.
Participating food pantries for 2014 are:
Christian Community Cupboard in Hurricane; EnAct, Inc. in Chesapeake, Montgomery, and Clendenin; Covenant House of Charleston; Heart and Hand Community Service Center in South Charleston; Nitro Community Services; Pocatalico/Sissonville Community Food Pantry; St. Albans Community Food Pantry; Mountain Mission in Charleston; Salvation Army in Charleston; and Five Loaves/Two Fishes in Poca.
A teleconference call with UFO officers and volunteer leaders will be held Wednesday, January 15, 2014 8:00 AM to discuss plans for the UFO kick off and subsequent pantry distributions for this year.
For more information about how you might help or get involved as a volunteer, call Elaine Harris at 304-342-2023.
The National Association of Letter Carriers food drive will take place on May 11, 2013. It is an important effort in the fight against hunger in our area. United Food Operation will again assist the Letter Carriers by distributing the food they collect through 13 food pantries in Kanawha and Putnam counties.
Around 50,000 pounds of food are collected each year in the Charleston region through this activity.
Led by letter carriers represented by the National Association of Letter Carriers (AFL-CIO), with the help of rural letter carriers, other postal employees and numerous other volunteers, nationally, the drive has resulted in delivery of more than one billion pounds of donations to community food banks and pantries over the past 20 years.
We’ve just posted on YouTube a video highlights reel from the May 2012 Letter Carriers Food Drive. We’ll have another one coming up this May so it seemed like an appropriate time to review what it’s all about. Take a look:
UFO Chairwoman Elaine Harris announced the start of the group’s winter food drive at the kickoff event. This year’s food drive is dedicated in honor of Sylvia Mae Jones, who was formerly a receptionist at Bayer CropScience and a long-time supporter of UFO.
Around 50,000 pounds of food are collected each year in the Charleston region through this activity.