Financial group delivers $10,000 to assist with feeding hungry

First Niagara’s Allan Burkley (from left) poses with Robert MacNeil, board chairman of the Chester County Food Bank; Larry Welsch, its executive director; and Bob Kane, First Niagara’s eastern Pennsylvania regional president.

First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. announced in a news release that it recently gave a $10,000 grant to the Chester County Food Bank, which provides food for approximately 70,000 individuals in need throughout Chester County.

“We’re very grateful to have a corporate partners like First Niagara helping us on our mission to combat hunger,” said Robert D. McNeil, the Chester County Food Bank’s board chairman.  “This grant will help support programs like our Food Backpack Program, which ensures that 1,000 local children will have healthy meals each weekend, when they otherwise might not.”

In addition to the Food Backpack Program, funds donated by First Niagara will be used to support a range of programs that are part of the Food Bank’s annual operations.  These include providing nutrition education programs to children and adults, as well as supporting and expanding the organization’s raised bed gardens, which produce fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables.

“With the holidays upon us, it’s especially important that we all take a moment to think about those facing hunger not just now, but throughout the year,” said First Niagara Eastern Pennsylvania Regional President Robert Kane.  “The Chester County Food Bank is of critical importance to our community, ensuring those who truly need its services have access to healthy food year round.  First Niagara is proud to partner with the Food Bank.”

The Chester County Food Bank collects, stores and distributes food to over 90 food cupboards, meal sites and social service organizations in Chester County.  Since it was founded in 2009, the Food Bank has more than doubled its distribution, serving the equivalent of over 1.7 million meals to those in need.  To learn more about the Chester County Food Bank, please visit http://chestercountyfoodbank.org/.

First Niagara, through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Niagara Bank, N.A., is a multi-state community-oriented bank with approximately 420 branches, across New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.firstniagara.com.