Farm families highlight healthy food at events
CAMP HILL — Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) members celebrated Food Check-Out Week from Feb. 17 to 23, which recognized growing and raising healthy food as a farmer's top priority and focused on helping consumers eat healthy meals on tight budgets.
The theme of the week was “Stretching Your Grocery Dollar with Healthy, Nutritious Food.”
“Many Pennsylvanians are facing hard financial times with tight family budgets in this tough economy. Food Check-Out Week activities provide consumers with information that helps them save money when buying food and encourages them to eat healthy food, including fresh fruits and vegetables,” said bureau president Carl Shaffer.
For the 15th consecutive year, PFB recognized the event by making deliveries of food, cash, gift cards and other contributions to Pennsylvania's six Ronald McDonald Houses in Danville, Hershey, Philadelphia (two houses), Pittsburgh and Scranton.
Pennsylvania farm families donated $61,340 to the six Ronald McDonald Houses. Pennsylvania farmers have collected more than $838,540 in total donations since the program was initiated by PFB's State Women's Leadership Committee in 1998.The Ronald McDonald Houses provide a home away from home for families with seriously ill children receiving medical treatment at area hospitals.Through the volunteer work of Pennsylvania Farm Bureau members, the Pittsburgh Ronald McDonald House received $5,170 in total donations.Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is the state's largest farm organization with a volunteer membership of more than 55,000 farm and rural families, representing farms of every size and commodity across Pennsylvania.
