BRADFORD, PA / OLEAN, NY – Employees from Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) and Olean General Hospital (OGH), Kaleida Health Facilities, took time to give back to the local communities by hosting food drives throughout the healthcare system. Knock Out Hunger was coordinated in Bradford, which ran simultaneously with 97 Rock’s 19^th annual Rock Out Hunger food drive, taking place in Olean. Both programs kicked off on Tuesday, October 15 and ran through Tuesday November 12.

BRMC and OGH employees, along with other Kaleida Health facilities, collected non-perishable food items including: peanut butter, cereal, pastas, boxed stuffing, ready-made meals, canned vegetables, canned fruits, mac and cheese, other non-perishable food items, and baby items including diapers, wipes, and formula.

Departments from BRMC, OGH and the Olean Medical Group took part in a friendly competition during this year’s food drive. Teams transformed shopping carts with eye-catching designs, all vying to see who could collect the most items while also competing for the best decorated cart—an honor determined by votes from coworkers after the drive concluded. This year, 25 teams across the local healthcare system participated in the annual food drive. The shopping carts were showcased in various locations throughout each hospital and ambulatory facilities, each creatively designed with unique themes.

 “I can’t say enough about our staff and the commitment they have to keeping our communities healthy as well as helping to fight food insecurity in our region,” said Joseph Fuglewicz, Marketing Director, Twin Tier and Rock Out Hunger Site Captain. “This is my third year serving as site captain and each year we’ve managed to engage more employees and collect more food items. This annual food drive has such an immense impact locally and regionally.”

The total amount of food items collected throughout the healthcare system was over 4,000 items as well as cash donations. All items collected in Olean were distributed to local food pantries through FeedMore WNY. The food items collected at BRMC went directly to Destinations Bradford, Salvation Army Food Pantry and the YWCA Homeless and Victim Resource Centers in Bradford.