FAQ ANSWERED: Food-a-Bago Food Drive to Benefit Southern Tier Neighbors

It's a sad but true fact that the issue of hunger is a much bigger problem in our area than most people realize. To put it into perspective for you, one in four children you see and one in seven adults probably have no idea where their next meal is going to come from.

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What is CHOW's Goal For Broome County and Beyond?

CHOW, the Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse, has a goal to stop hunger by distributing over 2.2 million meals to people in our community each year so that none of our neighbors have to go to bed hungry. It's worth mentioning that although CHOW is a Broome County-based non-profit that assists not only Broome County, but all Southern Tier and Twin Tiers counties in obtaining food.

Why is Food-a-Bago Held in November?

The severity of food insecurity in our community is what drives Townsquare Media to host our annual Food-a-Bago Food Drive each and every November, ahead of the holiday season and winter months when donations sometimes lag and the CHOW Warehouse is left wondering how they're going to come up with the food so desperately needed.

Where is the Food-a-Bago Food Drive?

Townsquare Media radio stations (98.1 The Hawk, Kiss 104.1, 99.1 The Whale, and 1290 WNBF) will be stationed inside an RV in the parking lot of Weis Markets, 1290 Upper Front Street in Binghamton from October 30 until the early morning hours of Monday, November 6 to collect your non-perishable food donations as well as cash or check donations.

2023 Food-a-Bago Food Drive Collection Hours

The Food-a-Bago Food Drive operates on the following schedule: Monday to Friday, October 30, 2023, to November 3, 2023, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, November 4 and 5 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and Monday, November 6 from, 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Are Cash/Check Donations to CHOW Tax Deductible?

For every $1.00 you donate, CHOW is able to work with partnering agencies to turn that into five complete meals, so a dollar definitely stretches. Cash donations are accepted at the Food-a-Bago food drive but checks are as well and if you plan to write a check, we ask you to make it payable to Music For The Mission, our partnering non-profit. 100 percent of donations will be given to CHOW. All donations are also tax-deductible, so if you would like a receipt, please let us know.

Can I Make An Online Donation?

Absolutely! You can make an online donation through this secure PayPal link.

What Should I Buy to Donate to Food-a-Bago?

If you're looking for what sorts of items to pick up to donate to CHOW, you'll find some ideas here.

Are You Still Doing the Shopping Cart Challenge?

Absolutely! If you're interested in learning about the super fun shopping cart challenge and how you can get involved, everything you could want to know can be found here.