Price Rite Marketplace, University at Buffalo football team partner to 'Sack Hunger'

20 ‘sacks’ of food donated to local food pantry

While last year’s college football season was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, it didn’t stop Price Rite Marketplace and the University at Buffalo football program from teaming up in the fight against food insecurity through the annual “Sack Hunger” campaign.

As part of the partnership, Price Rite Marketplace donates a “sack” of groceries that includes canned goods and fresh produce, along with full pallets of rice, pasta and spring water, to the New Beginnings Food Pantry from Amherst Baptist Church. The number of sacks donated reflects the sacks recorded by the football team. A sack takes place when the quarterback is tackled by the defense for a loss of yards before a pass is thrown.

This past season, Buffalo recorded 20 sacks and, in doing so, helped needy individuals and families throughout Amherst and surrounding areas. The team had an impressive campaign, ranking 16th in the nation and finishing in first place in the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls went 5-0 in league play and finished with an overall 6-1 record.

The “Sack Hunger” program kicked off in September 2018 as an integrated relationship with University at Buffalo Athletics and its multimedia rights holder, Learfield’s Bulls Sports Properties. The “Sack Hunger” fundraising campaign is part of a joint effort to tackle hunger locally through a season-long promotion in partnership with the UB football team. In total, 99 sacks of food have been donated to the New Beginnings Food Pantry as a result of the program.

At this year’s event, held March 2 at the Price Rite Marketplace of Amherst, Price Rite associates joined Lance Leipold, head coach of the UB football team, to present the sacks of food to representatives from New Beginnings Food Pantry from Amherst Baptist Church.

Price Rite Marketplace is a committed member of the local community, and fighting hunger is at the heart of Price Rite Marketplace’s charitable giving. Price Rite fights food insecurity through its support of local food banks, its annual “Check-Out Hunger” fundraising campaign and its partnership with Feed The Children, contributing approximately $500,000 annually to local food banks and food pantries to benefit families in need within the communities its stores serves.

Price Rite Marketplace opened its first store in 1995 under the name Price Rite Supermarkets, and currently operates 59 grocery stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Maryland.

Price Rite Marketplace is dedicated to fighting hunger through its annual “Check-Out Hunger” fundraising campaign and partnerships with Feed The Children and local food banks. For more information, visit www.priceritemarketplace.com.