Fill the Cupboard Challenge seeks record

RUTLAND – Hoping to fill the Rutland Community Cupboard with a record amount of tuna, pasta, cereal, and peanut butter, Green Mountain Power announced a 34,000-item goal Tuesday, Aug. 23, for the 2016 GMP Fill the Cupboard Challenge.
The current record for the event, 33,169, was set last year.
Businesses, clubs, schools, sports teams, churches and other organizations are encouraged to register for the challenge, then collect food donations and deliver them to the Rutland Community Cupboard Sept. 6-30. The event is held this time of year because the Cupboard usually sees a decrease in donations until the holidays get closer.
GMP will donate 25 cents to the Community Cupboard for every item collected, up to a total of $5,000. The company will also donate $500 in the name of the group or business that collects the most food.
Participants should pre-register for the challenge by calling Bonnie O’Rourke at GMP at 747-6883 or Kelly Giancola at the Cupboard at 747-6119.
“The Cupboard Challenge has helped hundreds of families over the years, many seeking help for the first time, and relies exclusively on food and monetary donations from the local community,” said GMP Vice President Steve Costello. “Businesses, clubs, sports teams, co-workers, families and schools can use the event to build bonds as they work together within their group to support families and seniors in need of assistance.”
The Rutland Community Cupboard distributes hundreds of thousands of items to local residents each year, serving hundreds of families each month. Giancola said events like the challenge help ensure no one goes hungry.
“The GMP Cupboard Challenge is a critical part of the puzzle as we work with people facing food crises,” she said. “We continue to see a high volume of people in need, and especially this summer, we have been seeing a lot of families in need.”
Participants in the challenge can solicit food or monetary donations from employees, customers, vendors or others, and are encouraged to conduct their own food drives as part of the Fill the Cupboard Challenge.
“The more creative people have been, the more we’ve been able to collect in years past,” Costello said. “We encourage folks to inspire their friends, co-workers, teammates and community members, and make a real impact.”
Participants may deliver food to the Community Cupboard as often as they like, and should identify their organization as a participant in the challenge when dropping off donations. Deliveries can be made to the Community Cupboard Monday, Wednesday or Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday 4-6 p.m. through Sept. 30.