Ft. Lauderdale, October 24th, 2008 - A major Thanksgiving effort is being launched in Broward County next week to help ease the lack of food felt by thousands of seniors in need.
Bank of America and The Pantry of Broward have announced a joint initiative to collect food for local seniors in need from Monday, October 27th through Saturday, November 29th. The kick-off event for the food drive will take place at 10a.m. on Monday, October 27th in the lobby of the Las Olas Bank of America, 401 E. Las Olas Boulevard, Ft. Lauderdale.
Bank of America customers and the general public are invited to help in this seasonal effort by dropping off canned and dry foods at any of the more than 70 Bank of America banking centers throughout Broward County and north Miami-Dade. The Pantry of Broward, a registered charity, will distribute the food to seniors in need and grandparents raising their grandchildren over the holiday season. It is hoped that up to 2,000 seniors in need will benefit from the food drive.
"We are proud to be partnering with Bank of America and the residents of Broward County to help seniors in need this holiday season," explained Catherine "Penny" Loughan, Chief Executive Officer of The Pantry of Broward. "If we all help with a few cans of food, we can collectively make a big difference for these proud elders who have basically outlived their savings."
Needed food items include tuna fish, canned meats and vegetables, peanut butter and macaroni and cheese. Specially marked collection boxes can be found in each Bank of America banking center where the public can drop-off food. To find the nearest Bank of America site, visit www.bankofamerica.com and type in your zip code.
Customers may also make cash contributions into The Pantry of Broward bank account in lieu of donating food items by simply asking a teller.
"At Bank of America, we recognize the important role so many seniors play in our community, especially those helping to raise dependent grandchildren," said Mark Maller, Broward County president, Bank of America. "With one of the largest and most convenient network of banking centers throughout Broward County, we are pleased to serve as a collection site for The Pantry of Broward's Thanksgiving food drive, to help those in need of food during the holidays."
Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving more than 59 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 6,100 retail banking offices, more than 18,500 ATMs and award-winning online banking with more than 25 million active users. Bank of America offers industry leading support to more than 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients in more than 150 countries and has relationships with 99 percent of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies and 83 percent of the Fortune Global 500. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
