Bashas’ donates 16,000 pounds of apples to Phoenix food bank

PHOENIX — With summer proven to be a slow time for donations at St. Mary’s Food Bank, local grocer Bashas’ is stepping up to be a hometown hero with a donation of more than 16,000 pounds of apples.

The Phoenix food bank’s staff believes hunger is not just about being hungry. It’s about food insecurity, or not having regular access to safe, affordable and nutritious foods.

“We’re trying to make sure we are not just feeding people but feeding them in a healthy way,” spokesman Jerry Brown told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Wednesday.

In Arizona, as many as one in five people struggle with hunger, and the number of hungry children is higher. About one in four Arizona children – more than 200,000 youth – experience hunger or food insecurity.

Slim pickings no more! 🍎🍏🍎🍏 @BashasMarkets just donated 16,000 pounds of apples to @StMarysFoodBank just in time for summer! Did you know 1 in 5 Arizonans go hungry everyday? That’s including nearly 400,000 children. @KTAR923 pic.twitter.com/t5E7dHqoUR

— Ali Vetnar (@Ali_Vetnar) May 8, 2019

“If they don’t have the money for food, they don’t have money for doctors’ bills either. So we want to get as many fresh fruits and vegetables to those in need,” Brown added.

“Bashas’ has been helping Arizona families for nearly 90 years and this donation is just one more way we can help,” Bashas’ spokeswoman Ashley Shick said.

The donation of eight pallets of apples was based on the number of apples Bashas’ sold in its stores across the state during the first quarter of 2019.

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