News Release

FORT WAYNE — United Way of Allen County is hosting its fourth annual Community Food Drive from Monday, Feb. 19, through Tuesday, March 5. The event is sponsored by Ron and Kathy Turpin, Meijer, PHP, Do It Best & the Do It Best Foundation, Rea Magnet Wire, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Electric Works & Union Street Market, and Fort Wayne Newspapers.

Three local organizations will benefit from the event: Associated Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County, Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana and Miss Virginia’s Food Pantry. The annual food drive is one of the many ways United Way helps to relieve some of the barriers being faced regarding food security.

“After the holiday season, many food banks experience a lull in donations,” said Robert Haworth, president and chief executive officer of United Way of Allen County. “Our community food drive is an initiative that works to bridge that gap and provide food to our friends, family and neighbors in Allen County when they need it most.”

United Way partners with 32 community partner organizations that are collecting internally and 12 local Starbucks locations open for public donations, for a total of 96 collection bins across Allen County. Last year, United Way collected more than 5,000 pounds of food.

Food donations can be dropped off at any of these participating Starbucks locations:

• Jefferson and Fairfield, 502 W. Jefferson Blvd.
• Coliseum and Coldwater, 301 E. Coliseum Blvd.
• Lima and Ludwig, 6403 Lima Road
• Lima and DuPont, 10030 Lima Road
• DuPont and Auburn, 2132 E. DuPont Road
• Maysville and Meijer, 10104 Maysville Road
• State and Coliseum, 3905 E. State Blvd.
• U.S. 27 and Tillman, 7755 Southtown Crossing
• Illinois and Thomas, 4716 Illinois Road, Suite 103
• Scott and Illinois, 9801 Illinois Road
• Jefferson and Mallard Cove, 6801 W. Jefferson
• Jefferson and I69, 5723 Coventry Lane

Food donations needed are canned meat/protein, peanut butter, canned beans, boxed dinners, rice, pasta and cereal. These items must be unopened, nonperishable, not homemade, not expired and not in glass containers. You can also make a monetary donation to the Community Food Drive by visiting unitedwayallencounty.org/food-drive or by texting FOOD24 to 41444. If you have any questions, send an email to [email protected].