 The new forklift came just in time. |
Food distributor C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc of Keene, New Hampshire and community philanthropist Williams-Corbett Foundation of Santa Barbara, California have provided funding grants to help non-profit food banks obtain materials handling equipment for warehouse applications.
C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc has provided an unspecified grant enabling the non-profit Food Bank of Western New York to acquire a battery-powered Clark narrow-aisle reach forklift.
The forklift dealership Prolift Inc delivered the Clark NPR 17, which has a lifting capacity of 3,500 lbs (1,575 kg). Prolift has locations in Buffalo and Rochester to serve 14 counties of western New York state and parts of Pennsylvania. The NPR 17 has a list price of USD33,000.
"This new forklift came just in time," says Marylou Borowiak, Food Bank president and chief executive officer. "The one it is replacing was old, slow and on its last tyre. Much of what we do depends on the safe and efficient functioning of our equipment so the new forklift will make a real difference in our warehouse operations and our mission."
Based in Buffalo, New York, the Food Bank distributes more than one million pounds of food each month to nearly 100,000 residents in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties. Children account for 39% of those served.
Within the Food Bank's service area, C&S operates food distribution centres in Lancaster and Cheektowaga, New York employing more than 600 persons. Across the US, C&S serves about 3,900 highly visible grocery stores from more than 50 locations in 11 states. C&S with affiliated companies had 2009 sales of about USD19.3 billion.
"C&S has supported the Food Bank of Western New York for a long time," notes Gina Goff, C&S community involvement director. "Their request for support to buy a new forklift was compelling."
Past C&S contributions have helped the Food Bank establish a new Kids' Cafe, offer healthy cooking classes and operate a value-added-process program to repackage bulk quantities of food.
Meanwhile, the Williams-Corbett Foundation has presented a USD25,000 grant to help the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County purchase a new forklift for its south county warehouse in Santa Barbara, California.
"Safety is our No. 1 priority at the warehouses, with everything we do," says Frank Abatemarco, Foodbank board chairman. "Food, volunteer and staff safety and moving the thousands of pounds a day is critical to our work. A new forklift was badly needed."
Currently, the Foodbank operates forklifts from Graylift and Toyota dealerships. Lifting capabilities are 3,000 lbs (1,350 kg).
"We will be purchasing a forklift from Alta Lift" and should receive the equipment in October, says Kerry Main Aller, the Foodbank's development and public relations manager. Quinn Group Inc's Alta Lift dealership has five locations including a facility in Santa Maria, California.
The Santa Barbara-based foundation has provided a total of USD95,000 in funding for Foodbank equipment needs, including the forklift and a refrigerated cargo van allowing the organisation additional options for transporting refrigerated product.
"Williams-Corbett . . . recognises the high importance we have placed on staff certification and training for operating the forklift and vehicle we have acquired with their funding," Aller notes.
During 2009, the Foodbank distributed 9.2 million lbs (4.1 million kg) of food from warehouses in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria. The Foodbank distributes food to more than 264 social service programs and agencies, churches and community groups.