WAYNE – Tuesday marked the Fourth annual Runza Feeds the Need fundraiser where 10% of all sales were donated to local programs focusing on youth hunger and food insecurity.
According to a release from Runza, $40,139.09 will be donated to hunger efforts focused towards children. Locally, the Wayne Food Pantry and School Backpack Program will receive $485.18.
Jodi Pulfer, a volunteer with the Wayne Food Pantry and School Backpack Program said she greatly appreciates the community.
“A shoutout to all the members here because we are 100% fully funded only by our community,” said Pulfer. “We get no outside funding, so we’re just greatly blessed and we thank you all for supporting us.”
Last year the Wayne Food Pantry served 1,134 people which broke down to be 315 households. This was similar to 2019 aside from April – June there was a decrease in usage in the early stages of the pandemic.
“But when you look what we’ve done since 2012,” Pulfer added. “In 2012 we served 454 people and 107 households. So, you can see we’ve doubled our population that we’re serving since 2012.”
Pulfer also mentioned the group has also seen an increase in need for the backpack program.
“We’re now sending out roughly 150 backpacks a weekend,” Pulfer mentioned. “Eighty-three of them go to the elementary school, 27 to our early learning center, the junior high has 16 and St. Mary’s who is included for the first time this year they’re receiving 13. Then between Tower and the high school we send out another 12.”
Like Wayne Food Pantry and School Backpack Program on Facebook for more information or call 402-375-2669 Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. until noon with any questions.