ABINGDON, Va. – Abingdon-based coal company Alpha Natural Resources delivered a check for $100,000 to the Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank here Wednesday.
The money is to help the food bank with its relocation across the interstate to a larger building that will enable it to accommodate increasing need.
“Our view is, regardless of how we perform from a financial perspective, we have an obligation to give something back,” Alpha President Kevin Crutchfield said about the donation even as companies like his begin to feel the nation’s economic pinch. “We’re real thrilled to be in a position to do this because we think it’s important to give back to the community.”
Edd Roberts, the food bank’s resource development officer, said that through community partnerships every dollar donated can be turned into $6 worth of food.
“Everything we do is about partnerships here,” Roberts said.
He said the food bank distributed 5.1 million pounds of food last year in the 11 Southwest Virginia counties it serves, and it’s on track to distribute another 6 million pounds this year.
Crutchfield said Alpha tries to donate money where it will do the most good, and the six-fold increase the food bank can apply makes the organization a good investment in the community.
“It’s a little-known fact that roughly 20 percent of the children in Southwest Virginia live below the poverty line and go hungry every night,” Crutchfield said. “We always hope that by virtue of our contribution it would spur others to help out.”
Alpha also is giving $25,000 to help with food bank operations and another $14,000 for use by agencies the food bank serves.
Dominion, the company building a coal-fired power plant in Wise County, made a $50,000 donation to the food bank before Christmas.
dmccown@bristolnews.com | (276) 791-0701
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