Bend grocery store, shoppers help Bethlehem Inn

During this season’s “Help Fight Hunger Campaign” at C.E. Lovejoy’s Brookswood Market, the goal was to top the 2013 donation of 62 grocery bags to Bethlehem Inn. And, top it they did.

In an overwhelming show of support by area residents, the locally-owned Market and its shoppers rallied to almost triple the amount of groceries delivered to the area’s homeless shelter this year.

On Tuesday , the equivalent of 168 bags of groceries were delivered to Bethlehem Inn as part of the annual campaign.

Each year in November and December, customers of the popular southwest Bend grocery store donate $10.00 toward pre-packaged grocery bags. Lovejoy’s then matches the funds (for a $20 total value each) and delivers the food to the local homeless shelter.

“The community spirit of giving is the highest we’ve seen in the history of this program,” said Diana Franko, Lovejoy’s Store Manager. “In fact, there was such an outpouring of support that we delivered actual caseloads of items today on behalf of our customers and employees. This is one of our ongoing partnerships that feels so good because we are helping local men, women, children, and families.”

Gwenn Wysling, Executive Director of the Inn, and Cristal Curtis, its Facilities Manager, among others, were on hand to accept the cases and bags of food.

“Bethlehem Inn relies on volunteers and donations to make a difference in the lives of so many,” Wysling commented. “We are always so grateful for the type of support and resources that come so generously from our local community. Quite simply, thank you to all who made this delivery possible during this particularly challenging time of year.”

“Help Fight Hunger” is a nationally recognized effort by independent grocers across the United States to partner with their patrons and make substantial donations to people in need in their local communities. Thousands of pounds of food are donated each year. The items include cereal, noodles, canned vegetables, fruit juice and spaghetti sauce.

Bethlehem Inn, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is located on North Highway 97 in Bend and is “Central Oregon’s largest emergency shelter for homeless families, men and women of our region.” Additional information about how you can help support the shelter through donations, gifts and volunteering can be found at www.bethleheminn.org . Please call (541) 322-8768 for their current needs.

C.E. Lovejoy’s Brookswood Market is Bend’s newest full-service, locally-owned and operated grocery store. The highest rated 5-star IGA grocery store in the Northwest in 2012 and 2013, Lovejoy’s offers high-quality fresh produce, a complete meat department, freshly-baked goods, local dairy products, specialty cheeses, a full-service gourmet deli, a wide selection of beers and wines, and their new 12-tap Love Handles Growler Depot. It is located at 19530 Amber Meadow Drive in Bend (in the Brookswood Meadow Plaza), approximately two (2) miles south of the Brookswood Blvd./Powers Rd. Roundabout. For more information, call 541-388-1188, visit their website at www.celovejoys.com or Facebook page at “C.E. Lovejoy’s”.