Sendik's Delivers 58,000 Pounds of Food to the Hungry

This is the season of giving, and is giving in a big way to local families in need.

On Tuesday, the Whitefish Bay-based grocer donated 58,000 pounds of food and more than $44,000 to Feeding America.

“We are so happy to be able to make this donation,” said Nick Balistreri, who owns Sendik’s along with his brothers Ted and Patrick and his sister Margaret Harris. “Our customers and associates have been so generous throughout the promotion, and Feeding America has been a great partner. It feels great to be able to come together to help our community, especially when so many families are in need.”

A new aspect to the promotion this year was the “Do the Cluck, Fill the Truck” event on Oct. 15. For every customer that signed up for the Sendik’s Fan Club and did the Chicken Dance, Sendik’s donated five meals to Feeding America. A $1 donation also provided the same five-meal donation.

With the help of generous customers, the Balistreri-owned-and-operated grocery stores also gathered donations from August through October with a variety of in-store activities:

• Sendik’s Real Food Magazine: 100% of proceeds from sale benefited Feeding America

• Backpack Buddies: Proceeds from Backpack Buddies provided a backpack filled with school supplies for needy children in the Milwaukee area.

• Mac & Cheese Promotion: For every box of Shurfresh macaroni and cheese sold, Sendik’s donated one box to Feeding America.

• Sendik’s Food Drive: Customers purchased a $10, $20 or $50 bag of groceries to help feed hungry families.

• Keep the Change for Feeding America: Customers had the opportunity to round up their receipt total to the nearest dollar for Feeding America.