Ferrum College Weight Watchers Group Lose for Good; Donate 250 Pounds to Local Food Bank
November 05, 2009
nfaunce@ferrum.edu
Several Ferrum College faculty, staff and Community Health Center employees joined the fight against two global epidemics – hunger and obesity – by participating in the Lose For Goodcampaign. As local Weight Watchers members lose weight, they’ve also been collecting food to donate to the St. James Food Bank in Ferrum, Virginia to help their neighbors in need. Within seven weeks, the group lost 296.6 pounds, and collected 250 pounds of food.
“The Lose For Good campaign provides a chance for folks to adopt a healthier lifestyle, reduce their weight and help someone in need,” says JoAnna White, Weight Watchers Territory Manager. “Some members have brought in food donations equivalent to their weight loss so they can make sure their loss is someone else’s gain.”
Food banks across the nation are reporting that the demand for assistance has increased as much as 40% this year, leaving many food banks unable to fill their shelves and help those in need. On a national level, for every million pounds Weight Watchers Members lost between August 31st and October 17th, Weight Watchers pledged to donate $250,000 dollars – UP TO ONE MILLION DOLLARS – to two hunger fighting organizations – Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger. Early estimates show that Weight Watchers has reached its donation goal by losing approximately four million pounds across the country. In addition, Weight Watchers staff and members participated in more than 3,300 voluntary food drives in meeting rooms throughout the country where they collected and donated an estimated two million pounds of food to local food banks.