Over $77K Donated At Sonoma County Raley's Stores — A Record Year

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Customers, suppliers and staff at Raley's stores in four Sonoma County cities — Santa Rosa, Windsor, Rohnert Park and Petaluma — donated $77, 258 for hungry area residents as part of the grocery chain's recent annual holiday drive, contributing to a record-breaking year for Raley's Food For Families.

Raley's Food For Families, the year-round nonprofit organization through which Raley's partners with 12 Feeding America food banks in Northern California and Nevada — where the chain's stores are located — helps reach 1.4 million food-insecure people.

This past holiday season, a record $2.1 million was raised across all Raley's, Nob Hill, Bel Air Market and Food Source stores in Nevada and NorCal. It is the largest amount ever donated in the organization's 33 years of hosting the event, Raley's wrote in a new release.

In calendar year 2019, Raley's Food For Families made a significant change that brought a significant reward. By introducing the option to make a donation on check-stand pin pads at 128 locations, holiday donations increased by more than 30 percent when compared to calendar year 2018.

For some food agencies, the annual drive keeps their warehouse full well beyond the holiday season.

In Sonoma County, donations raised went to Santa Rosa-based Redwood Empire Food Bank, which has two North Coast partner distribution organizations: Fort Bragg-based Mendocino Food & Nutrition Program and Eureka-based Food For People.

For the 2019 giving season, the organization also expanded its holiday bag product to include more variety. Working with its food-bank partners, and keeping nutrition top of mind, Raley's Food For Families developed a product list that catered to the direct needs of their local communities.

"Although we all have unique and very personal reasons for where and why we give, clearly, our customers care deeply about alleviating hunger and helping their neighbors," said Becca Whitman, executive director of Raley's Food For Families. "We are so fortunate to share this ability to make a difference with such generous donors that shop at our stores."