Family Focus

Charlotte Allstate part of countrywide effort to help those in need

The Charlotte Allstate diversity, equity and inclusion team joined Allstate teams across the country to create care packages for local charities.

The Charlotte team had 50 members and each loaded up 12 grocery bags to share with people in need.

Those 600 bags of food were delivered last week to help ease some of the burdens of food insecurity for hundreds of Carolina families.

“Part of our core values is giving back and being a servant in the community where we live and work,” said Joe Kleinhenz, ‎vice president of ‎claims data science at Allstate.

The packing of items went on simultaneously across the country on a massive Zoom conference call.

“My hope is that we can help some people in underserved and underprivileged communities with food insecurities,” Kleinhenz said. “We’re also putting together hygiene packages and baby care packages as well — just trying to help out where we can.”

Approximately 553,000 people in our 24-county region live at or below the poverty level.

Over 42% of the people at risk of hunger in our region are children and seniors — almost 182,000 children and over 48,000 seniors.

There are many ways that you can help fight hunger, and there is a great need to combat food insecurity in the Carolinas.

For the past 16 years, WSOC-TV and Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina have partnered to end area hunger through the 9 Food Drive.

You, too, can help by donating canned or nonperishable food items now at any Arby’s, Ashley HomeStore and E.R. Services.

A complete list of donation locations is listed here.

Because the food bank supplies food and essential grocery items to hundreds of agencies, a monetary donation helps all of these organizations. For every $1 the food bank receives, it distributes 7 pounds of food.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK AND THE 9 FOOD DRIVE.

If you have an inspiring story to share, email Kevin Campbell, WSOC-TV/WAXN-TV/Telemundo Charlotte public affairs manager, at Kevin.Campbell@wsoctv.com.