97 Rock's Operation: Rock Out Hunger to begin 10th year

DJ Jickster to live on Food Bank of WNY trailer, collect donations

In an effort to provide holiday meals to local families in need, the 10th annual Operation: Rock Out Hunger, presented by 97 Rock and co-sponsored by WKBW-TV Channel 7, will be held from 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, through 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, at the Eastern Hills Mall parking lot, 4545 Transit Road in Williamsville.

97 Rock's DJ Jickster will move into a 48-foot Food Bank of WNY trailer and call it home for the week as he collects donations of frozen turkeys and whole chickens, nonperishable food items and cash to benefit the 116,691 individuals who rely on the Food Bank each month.

Donations of frozen turkeys and whole chickens are especially needed this year, since the bird-flu outbreak in the spring resulted in a limited supply of poultry, at higher prices, across the nation.

The Food Bank of WNY is hopeful Operation: Rock Out Hunger will help the organization reach its goal of obtaining and distributing 4,500 turkeys and chickens to families in need this holiday season.

Once again, National Fuel has announced that it will match each turkey collected during the event.

"The holidays are a time of increased need, and we believe that no one should spend what should be a joyous season worrying about where their next meal will come from," said Marylou Borowiak, president and CEO of the Food Bank of WNY. "We are incredibly grateful to DJ Jickster and 97 Rock, WKBW, and all the generous individuals and businesses that support this drive to make sure that no one goes hungry during the holidays."

Operation: Rock Out Hunger has collected $114,771, 109,210 pounds of food and 13,574 turkeys since it began in 2006.

The Food Bank of WNY is the primary hunger relief organization in the region, obtaining and distributing food to 326 member agencies, including food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, afterschool programs and senior citizen centers in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties. Through these agencies, every month the Food Bank of WNY serves 116,691 individuals, including 41,348 families, nearly 44,000 children and infants, and 13,194 senior citizens.

The Food Bank of WNY is one of 200 members of Feeding America, the nation's food bank network. For more information, visit www.foodbankwny.org.