Wegmans shoppers at 21 area stores can donate to Foodlink at checkout through Nov. 28 as the organizations begin their 33rd annual Check Out Hunger campaign.
The campaign launched Wednesday, with all proceeds going to Foodlink, the food bank serving a 10-county area in the Rochester and Finger Lakes region, according to a news release.
Customers can give $1, $2, $3, $5 or another amount at traditional cashier lanes or self-checkout.
The drive comes as Foodlink’s network of food pantries and meal programs reports rising requests for assistance. Foodlink said local pantry visits reached an all-time high in August.
Donations come as pantry demand rises
More than 155,000 people in Foodlink’s service area experience food insecurity, according to Feeding America’s annual Map the Meal Gap report as cited by Foodlink. The term describes inadequate or inconsistent access to enough healthy food.
Foodlink President and CEO Julia Tedesco said economic pressures, including rising gas costs, have led some residents to seek emergency food assistance for the first time.
She said checkout donations help the organization respond as it enters the holiday season.
Deana Percassi, Wegmans’ vice president of community engagement and communications, credited customers and employees with sustaining the annual effort and helping food banks provide food for individuals and families.
Last year’s campaign raised a record $820,000
The previous Check Out Hunger campaign produced an $820,000 donation, the highest total in the event’s history. Foodlink said that amount equates to more than 2.4 million meals for the region.
Wegmans also supports food banks through daily food donations and annual checkout campaigns. Across the company in 2025, Wegmans donated 36.8 million pounds of food, while customers gave more than $4.7 million through its annual scan campaigns.
Foodlink is a Rochester-based nonprofit that stores and distributes emergency food to food bank members and community partners across its 10-county service area. Its other work includes programs intended to improve access to nutritious food, career development and advocacy.
More information about Foodlink and its food assistance work is available at FoodlinkNY.org.
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