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News Report, Program Updates

UFO kicks off 2026 campaign

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On January 17 the United Food Operation, Inc. (U.F.O.) began its 45th annual campaign to help alleviate hunger in the Kanawha Valley.

Program and community leaders gathered at the U.F.O. headquarters in Institute, WV, to seek support and to celebrate its many years of work bringing food to those in need through a network of 12 food pantries across Kanawha and Putnam counties.

This year’s food distribution season began Jan. 17 and runs through mid-April.

Presented below are photos from the event. In the first gallery are pictures of speakers and audience at the kickoff event. The second gallery are photos of Nitro High School ROTC students who cleaned up the UFO warehouse prior to the annual program kickoff. The students were provided lunch compliments of Covestro.

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

2026 Kickoff Day

Warehouse Clean Up

All clean & ready to go
Thank you Nitro High School ROTC

And a song for UFO 2026

Matt Harris displays his musical talent at the kickoff

Click on this link to hear Matt Harris’s special UFO song performance at WQBE on YouTube.

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News Report, Program Updates

Dates set for 2026 UFO food drive and distribution

The dates are set for the winter 2026 United Food Operation (UFO) food drive and distributions, reports Elaine Harris, UFO Chairperson.

“We are excited to be opening our warehouse for the program kick off on January 16, 2026, at 11:00 A.M.” said Harris.

The 2026 UFO Food Drive will begin January 16 and conclude on April 4, 2026. She also noted that UFO will again participate in the National Letter Carriers Food Drive, happening on May 9. More information will follow.

UFO will be marking its 45th year of purchasing and collecting donated food and distributing it through a network of participating Food Pantries in Kanawha and Putnam counties. UFO’s distribution center warehouse is located in the Altivia Institute Industrial Park.

Those wishing to set up food collection barrels at their workplaces this winter or anyone interested in volunteering for a two-hour work shift at the warehouse on distribution Thursday-Fridays should contact UFO by phone at 304-342-2023 or email at eharris@cwa-union.org

United Food Operation is joint effort of labor unions and employers in the Kanawha Valley working to fight food insecurity.

News Report, Program Updates

Green’s Fall Food Drive Kicks Off

With a federal funding crisis looming, and SNAP benefits ailing, United Food Operation (UFO) has jumped in to help a project of Green’s Feed & Seed and their affiliated businesses.

From November 4 thru December 1, 2025, the Green’s businesses will set up food collection areas in their stores with baskets to collect donated non-perishable foods. United Food Operation will then distribute the donated food to our network food pantries across Kanawha and Putnam counties.

The food will be provided to the pantries at no cost, and the pantries will then distribute the food freely to those in need.

“As many of you are aware, all of the food pantries are struggling to keep up with the demand,” says UFO Chair Elaine Harris. “Many run out of food regularly and must turn people away. 

“Therefore, I am asking everyone to promote this food drive in any way possible, through your work, church, civic organization, neighbors, family and friends.  It is a wonderful opportunity for all of our food pantries. Let’s all make this a great success.”

Donations accepted at all Green’s locations

Green’s store locations include: Greens Feed and Seed in Charleston and Big Chimney; Spring Hill Rod and Gun in Spring Hill; and Greens Building Products on MacCorkle Avenue SE, Kanawha City.

People can drop-off donations of canned goods and other non-perishable foods during Green’s business hours as listed below.

Green’s Feed and Seed
314 Piedmont Road, Charleston
Sunday: 10 AM- 2 PM
Mon-Sat: 7 AM- 6 PM

Green’s Feed and Seed (Big Chimney)
4509 Pennsylvania Av.
Sunday: 10 AM- 4:30 PM
Mon-Fri: 8 AM- 6:30 PM
Saturday: 8 AM- 4 PM

Green’s Building Products
7500 MacCorkle Av., Charleston
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Mon-Fri: 7:30 AM- 4 PM

Spring Hill Rod and Gun
4961 MacCorkle Av., South Charleston
Sunday & Monday: Closed
Tue-Fri: 10 AM- 6 PM
Saturday: 9 AM- 2 PM

News Report

Letter Carriers Food Drive , Sat. May 10

Don’t forget to fill a bag/box with food on Saturday morning, May 10, and place it out by your mailbox. Put only canned, boxed, or packaged non-perishable foods in the bag.

Your USPS Letter Carrier will pick up the food and deliver it to the food collection area at the main Charleston, WV, post office. From there, it will be shipped to the United Food Operation (UFO) center in Institute, WV, where it is sorted and organized for pick-up by participating food pantries from across Kanawha County.

UFO is again participating with the National Association of Letter Carriers for their national Stamp Out Hunger food drive. To learn more about the food drive, check out these pages on the NALC website or Facebook .

Stamp out hunger
NALC

News Report

CWA commits to continued service

United Food Operation (UFO) is pleased to announce the continued commitment of Communication Workers of America Local 2001 toward fighting food insecurity in Kanawha and Putnam counties of West Virginia.

UFO Chairperson Elaine Harris recently accepted a $1,000 check from CWA union officers and executive board members in Charleston earlier this month. CWA has been one of the longest-term supporters of the UFO program.

“This type of support from workers in the Charleston region is critical to our success in providing much-needed food and nutrition to less-fortunate families in our area,” Harris said,

News Report, Program Updates

Letter carriers, volunteers produce results

Donated food poured into the main Charleston Post Office on Saturday, May 11, as letter carriers and volunteers unloaded the mail delivery vehicles.

United Food Operation (UFO) leader, Elaine Harris, was thankful for the generosity of Charleston area residents.

“The community always steps up to the plate each year for the Stamp Out Hunger food drive,” she said. “And our letter carriers, these men and women work so hard on this effort every year. We truly appreciate their work to collect all this donated food from across the region.”

Harris recognized the hard work of members of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 531. She noted that many of the letter carriers stayed after their shifts ended, helping pack up the food so it could be trucked over to the United Food Operation warehouse for sorting.

“The donated food collected will help provide needed nutrition to many families around Kanawha and Putnam counties. It’s always a pleasure working with the letter carrier food drive leaders, RD Henson and Troy Lahue, on this annual program.”

Beyond NALC members, volunteers from around the areaalso came out to help process the donated foods.

Some of the volunteers included Kanawha County Judges Jennifer Bailey and Lera VanMeter, along with Curt Zickefoose, Lora Walker. and Circuit Court judge candidate Rich Lindsay,

Harris says another group that turns out year after year to help unload food are Charleston Firefighters from IAFF Local 317. They were back in force this year.

As they have for many years, members of the West Virginia Army National Guard used their trucks to help bring in food from remote postal centers and they also delivered the food from the main post office over to the UFO warehouse.

UFO-affiliated food pantry representatives also came out to help. They included Jodie Breitkreutz from Covenant House Charleston and Ted Dues with Enact. Also helping out was Larry Stanley, retired NALC.

UFO board members were out working too. Kay Moffatt helped out at the post office, while Joe Gresham was stationed at the Institute warehouse to receive the trucks delivering food there.

In coming days, the foods will be sorted and then shipped out to the ten UFO-affiliated local food pantries.

News Report, Program Updates

American Income Life contribution fights food insecurity

All of us at United Food Operation were so pleased to recently receive a generous contribution from American Income Life. This donation will be used to purchase food, which will help supply a dozen food pantries in Kanawha and Putnam counties of West Virginia.

The check was presented to UFO by Celia “CC” Odell, Public Relations Specialist at American Income Life. Elaine Harris, UFO chair person, received the donation and thanked American Income Life for their help.

“When we receive these contributions from businesses in our area, we can never thank them enough for their kindness,” Harris said. “These funds will be put to use providing food and much-needed nutrition to families in the two counties we serve.”

News Report, Program Updates

2022 program kicks off Friday

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The 2022 United Food Operation, Inc. (UFO) food drive will officially begin on Friday, January 14, announced Elaine Harris, program chairperson.

“UFO will be marking its 40th year of collecting and distributing food to the participating food pantries,” said Harris. “You are invited to attend the kick off at our UFO warehouse.”

The activities start at 11:00 A.M. with a short program. Representatives of participating food pantries will be in attendance along with invited elected officials from communities in Kanawha and Putnam counties.

The UFO warehouse is located in Institute at the east end of the Altiva Institute Industrial Park. The entrance is directly across Route 25 (Fairlawn Av.) from the Institute Post Office.

On Saturday, following the kickoff, food will begin being distributed to participating food pantries. This activity will continue each Saturday through April 9.

UFO is an independent, all volunteer-staffed, private nonprofit food bank serving Kanawha and Putnam counties

News Report, Program Updates

Help needed for Food Drive, May 11

On May 11, 2019 the National Association of Letter Carriers (NACL) will be collecting food in the Kanawha Valley with their Stamp Out Hunger food drive. United Food Operation will again be partnering with the Letter Carriers to distribute the food they collect to 12 food pantries in Kanawha and Putnam counties.

Continue reading Help needed for Food Drive, May 11 →
News Report, Program Updates

Food distributions begin again in january 2019

United Food Operation will begin its next set of food distributions to area food pantries in January 2019. The exact dates of the 2019 program will be determined at the group’s annual organizational meeting on Friday, December 21.

Continue reading Food distributions begin again in january 2019 →