Agoura Hills, Calif. (March 26, 2013) – To commemorate its 85th anniversary on March 28, Farmers Insurance, one of the nation’s largest personal lines insurers, will join with Ventura County’s FOOD Share to collect food for those in need, as part of a national food drive planned for the week of March 25-29.
“Since our founding in 1928, Farmers has enjoyed a long, proud track record of volunteer service and giving back to the communities in which we do business. We are proud to partner with Ventura County FOOD Share,” stated Bryan Murphy, Farmers chief claims officer and current president of Ventura County FOOD Share’s board of directors.
On Thursday, the 28th, Farmers will also conduct a special ribbon cutting to ceremony to unveil two new produce gardens planted in front of the University of Farmers, located at 30801 Agoura Road in Agoura Hills. The fresh produce grown at the gardens will be donated to FOOD Share throughout the year.
WHAT : Garden Ribbon Cutting and food collection on behalf of FOOD Share to help feed families in Ventura County.
WHO : Farmers students (agents, managers, claims personnel), instructors, employees, the general public is invited, and Ventura County FOOD Share executives.
WHEN : March 28, 2013 at 11:30 a.m.
WHERE : University of Farmers, 30801 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, Calif.
“Farmers has been a generous sponsor to us for years and understands our mission and commitment to feeding the steady growing number of hungry friends we do each month,” said Bonnie Weigel, president and CEO of FOOD Share. “We are grateful to be part of this incredible milestone celebration that is helping to shine light on the need to end hunger in our community.”
Since 2010, FOOD Share has experienced a 58.8 percent increase in demand for support from the growing population who are experiencing hunger. The regional food bank currently provides food for 74,500 individuals per month.
Farmers, which today provides auto, home, small business, specialty and life insurance to 10 million U.S. households, will celebrate its 85th anniversary by joining forces with leading hunger relief charity organizations, in conducting a national food drive. The company has designated the week as “We Are Farmers Week.”
For more information about Ventura County’s FOOD Share, visit www.foodshare.com. For a list of food banks in your state, go to http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx.
About FOOD Share:
The food bank distributing millions of pounds of food each year to those in need throughout Ventura County, FOOD Share collects and receives food year-round, distributing through more than 150 pantry partner agencies throughout Ventura County, including Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Oak View, Ojai, Oxnard, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Somis, Thousand Oaks, and Ventura.
FOOD Share provides food to more than 74,500 people each month countywide through its partner agencies and multiple programs. Programs include the Senior Brown Bag that provides supplemental nutrition to nearly 2,000 low income seniors, home delivered meals and supplemental groceries through the Oxnard and Ventura Senior Nutrition Programs and, the Kids’ Farmers’ Markets, offering nutrition education, healthy recipe preparation and taste testing and a farmers’ market free fresh produce “shopping experience.”
In 2011, FOOD Share partnered with Ventura County’s Human Services Agency to provide expanded CalFresh enrollment assistance. CalFresh, formerly called food stamps, is the largest federal nutrition assistance program that provides supplemental nutrition assistance to eligible Ventura County residents.
For more information: call (805) 983-7100 or go to www.foodshare.com.
