On November 30th, 2021, United Food Operation is participating in GivingTuesday to bring attention to the great need we have for food in the Kanawha Valley.

Local news reports say Winter 2022 heating bills are set to jump as inflation hits home. Both natural gas and electric utilities in the Kanawha Valley have had rate increases over the past year. These higher utility costs could substantially drive up home heating costs.

Higher home heating costs hit middle income families hard, but affect lower income households the most, relative to their ability to pay. This is where United Food Operation’s food distribution program helps. Providing extra food to needy families this winter, frees up more funds to pay the utility bills.

Please Donate

You can help United Food Operation with its mission by making a donation on GivingTuesday, which is November 30, 2021. Use UFO’s secure online donation platform operated by MightyCause to help bring some relief to families in need in Kanawha and Putnam counties.

Check out our Donations page to see all the ways you can help.

About GivingTuesday

GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity. GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Since then, it has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

Join the movement and give – each Tuesday and every day – whether it’s some of your time, a donation, or the power of your voice in your local community.

It’s a simple idea:  whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts and everyone has something to give.

Because the need for food never seems to lessen in our community, United Food Operation continues to collect monetary donations during the off year time before it does its annual wintertime food distributions to Kanawha–Putnam County-area food pantries. The 2022 food distribution program is expected to begin in early January 2022.

UFO supports 12 food pantries in the region each year from January to April — the months when the need for resources is highest. By providing extra food during the winter, more resources are freed to assist with other needs, especially for helping pay home heating bills (gas/electric).

Donations needed

If you can make a small or large donation to help with food security in the Kanawha Valley, please do so now. For more information, call Elaine Harris at 304-342-2023.

Donate by check: mail to United Food Operation, PO Box 20441, Charleston, WV 25362

Donate by credit card: use MightyCause

We use the MightyCause donation service because of its ease of use and low cost. It is a great service. You can use MightyCause to securely make a donation to United Food Operation with your Visa, Mastercard, or American Express card.

Donate through United Way: You can designate United Food Operation to receive part or all of your annual United Way contribution. You must write in “United Food Operation Inc, Charleston WV” when you fill out your annual United Way campaign commitment form.

Thank you for your support

United Food Operation (UFO) kicked off its 2020 winter food drive and distribution program on Friday. The food distribution will continue through March 28.

A nice turnout of supporters showed up to see this year’s program dedicated in the honor of some key folks, without whom the program would be so much less successful.

The individual honored this year is very familiar to food charities around the Kanawha Valley. UFO Chair Elaine Harris said Fred Clark has been so important to the program since he’s been on the Board of Directors. She said Fred works tirelessly, not only to help raise funds for UFO, but he also helps out with other food drives around the community. Fred’s nickname is “The Potato Man” due to his purchase of truckloads of potatoes that he donates to food pantries.

The organization honored this year was Communications Workers of America, Local 2001. Harris recognized Local 2001 for their annual food drives, which they do for UFO. Harris said that in a couple of recent years, when UFO funds ran short at the end of the winter, Local 2001 has come through with loads of food and funds that they raise from their workplaces. It has been a real nice shot in the arm for UFO and the 12 food pantries it serves.

An nice donation of $2,500 was received from Huntington National Bank. Two other significant donations of in-kind services were announced at the kick-off. MH Rents donated the use of a forklift vehicle for the food drive season and SGS Petroleum Services is sending a certified forklift operator over each Friday and Saturday mornings to assist with moving pallets of food around the warehouse.

Messages of support were read from United States Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin. Representatives from food pantries in Kanawha and Putnam counties, West Virginia State University, WV AFL-CIO, local businesses, and mayors from several cities served by UFO affiliated food pantries were on hand to show their support for the program.

As they have done many times before, WQBE-97.5 conducted a live remote from the event led by announcer Jeff Jeffries.

The 2019 Winter Food Distribution Program will run each Saturday from January 12 to March 30, Elaine Harris, chair of United Food Operation (UFO), has announced. The season’s kickoff event will take place on Friday, Jan. 11.

On Saturday morning, April 7, United Food Operation completed its 12-week winter food distribution program. We will be gearing up again in May for the Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive. Watch for it on Saturday, May 12.