Food Rite’s ‘Bags for Brighter Holidays’ offers unique opportunity to give

Food Rite’s ‘Bags for Brighter Holidays’ offers unique opportunity to give

By: Ethan Orwig

Bags for Brighter Holidays included items.

As November presses on across Gibson County, the falling leaves and temperatures remind us that the holidays are right upon our doorstep. With Thanksgiving coming up, and Christmas on deck, folks file to the local grocery stores to ensure their kitchen tables have a plentiful gathering of food to celebrate with their loved ones. But for some, what was meant to be a time of joy and thanksgiving, has become a difficult occasion for people with less fortunate circumstances. That’s why Food Rite, a grocery store chain prominent across West Tennessee, recognized this need and leads the charge for a seasonal food donation program for people in need.

“We call it ‘Bags for Brighter Holidays,” Food Rite Owner Joey Hays said. “This is to give the customer an easy chance to help a local food pantry. That’s why we discount it at almost cost just to try and get as much food as we can for the community and local food pantries.”

Trenton Armory Food Rite displays Bags for Brighter Holidays.

Each Food Rite store, as well as a both Hays’ Cash Saver locations sell prefilled bags of grocery staples as part of this traditional program. The bags are always located conveniently in large bins in the front of the store. As the customer decides to purchase a bag, they are placed in a separate bin that are donated local food pantries and charities. Each bag consists of a selection of canned goods and holiday dinner essentials like cans of sweet corn, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, pinto beans, corn muffin mix, and even mac & cheese. Whereas the retail price for these items would be $10.03, Food Rite is asking for $6.75-$7.50 Hays explains that “Bags for Brighter Holidays isn’t meant to be a moneymaker. It’s meant to be an opportunity to help those in need. Food Rite merely provides that opportunity

“This just gives customers an easy way to help a local food pantry,” Hays said. “We’re not doing it. They are.”

Hay’s Cashsaver also participates in Bags for Brighter Holidays.

The Bags for Better Holidays” program runs form November 10 – December 17. The purchased food bags are donated to the charity or food pantry akin to each store location: Alamo FoodRite- Crockett Cares Food Pantry, Bells Food Rite- Christian Ministry Center, Dyer Food Rite- Dyer Good Will, Fulton Food Rite- Twin Cities Care, Halls Food Rite- Halls Connect Church, Henderson Hays’ Cash Saver- The Gleaners, Humboldt Hays’ Cash Saver- Humboldt Senior Center, Jackson Food Rite- RIFA, Kenton Food Rite- Kenton Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry, Newbern Food Rite- Newbern First Baptist Food Panty, Somerville Rood Rite- local community churches, Tiptonville Food Rite- Lake County school systems, Trenton Armory/Trenton Bypass- First Baptist Church of Trenton.

Dyer Food Rite joins in on the charitable fun.

“The company started doing this a few years ago during holiday times because it’s so difficult for people,” Food Rite Manager Chris Callins said. “This was just a way for us to help meet that need. That’s the whole purpose behind it.”