During the summer months, when school cafeterias close and electric bills soar, thousands of families across Arizona struggle to feed their families. This year, however, the need has never been greater. That’s why United Food Bank has teamed up with 12News and Fry’s Food Stores every summer to raise awareness of this growing issue through our annual fundraiser, Summer of a Million Meals.
This year marks United Food Bank’s eighth annual Summer of a Million Meals campaign, and it was a record-breaking one. Running from May 16 to September 1, this year’s campaign included three impactful telethons throughout the summer. By the end of the season, we raised a record-breaking total of $951,739.15! We couldn’t have done this without the generosity of the Arizona community and our dedicated associates and customers at Fry’s Food Stores. Every summer, Fry’s Food Stores and United Food Bank team up for a ‘round-up at the register’ campaign. This year, we raised an outstanding $355,571 at locations across the state. These funds will be shared among food banks statewide, with United Food Bank receiving more than $149,000.
But the numbers only tell part of the story. These past couple of months have been special and filled with many unforgettable moments: new partnerships, food drives, TikTok dances and inspiring acts of kindness from people across Arizona. Let’s take a moment to reflect on some of these moments that made this year special.
On the morning of May 16, United Food Bank and 12News kicked off the first telethon of the season. And before our coffees could kick in, the community was already showing up in full force. The phones rang nonstop, resulting in a morning record of over $20,000.
The energy carried into the evening as we welcomed a spirited group of over 45 volunteers that packed food bags, answered phones and helped clean up for the day. One enthusiastic group was our friends at Whataburger, who also generously catered the evening.
Thanks to a partnership with the Arizona Cardinals, a team of 21 State Farm employees also joined in the festivities. In addition to volunteering, State Farm presented a generous $10,000 check on-air. This spectacular gift allowed us to use it as a match throughout the evening, doubling the impact of every donation made.
“State Farm is committed to creating stronger and better-educated communities,” shared State Farm representative Stacie Wylie. “We love teaming up with the Arizona Cardinals to fight food insecurity in our community. And who is better to do that than United Food Bank.”
But one of the highlights of the day was the guest of honor: Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. Arriving with friends, family and his four-legged sidekick, Swoosh, everyone rolled up their sleeves and packed food bags.
Murray’s involvement didn’t stop there. Through a partnership with the Kyler Murray Foundation and High School Nation, he helped rally high schoolers from the East Valley to gather over 1,063 pounds of food drive donations.
“Hunger is a big deal,” remarked Murray. “Being able to partner with United Food Bank and being able to give back is a beautiful thing.”
And just when we thought the day couldn’t get any sweeter, the Girl Scouts surprised us with a donation of 45,402 pounds of cookies. We couldn’t have ended the night better.
While there may not have been a telethon in June, thanks to the Fry’s Food Stores team, they truly made up for it in the July telethon.
On July 10, over 45 Fry’s Food Stores volunteers arrived at the volunteer center to help pack bags, restock cans, and answer incoming phone donations. Since this was a high-energy group, of course, we had to have spontaneous dance breaks, perfect for making TikTok content and keeping them on their toes.
As the campaign’s title sponsor, Fry’s Food Stores continues to be a driving force behind its success.
“Fry’s Food Stores has been a leader in the fight to end hunger in Arizona for many years, which is part of our Zero Hunger Zero Waste social impact plan,” said Monica Garnes, President of Fry’s Food Stores. “The reason we’re able to stay focused on this important initiative is our great partnership with United Food Bank and other local feeding organizations.”
Adding to the festive atmosphere, the iconic Mesa pizzeria Organ Stop Pizza also stopped by to celebrate its annual Christmas in July campaign, supporting United Food Bank. Throughout July, guests were encouraged to donate $2 or two cans of non-perishable food items. By the end of the month, they collected over 1,431 pounds of food and raised $6,521. This amazing gift made it feel like Christmas despite the triple-digit temperatures outside.
And speaking of pizza, Papa John’s catered some delicious pizzas to help fuel up our lovely volunteers and staff.
To celebrate the last telethon of the season, we brought in various eager groups to the volunteer center to participate in the festivities, including: Semper Fi Heating and Cooling, Lerner and Rowe, Wells Fargo, Mesa Hohokams and others. They all wanted to join the cause by volunteering their time.
This summer brought together a new food drive initiative: Food Fight. All summer, local businesses, churches and organizations registered their teams to participate in the friendly competition. Points were awarded based on the total food and monetary contributions they collected. On August 14, United Food Bank announced on air that Harder Mechanical Contractors won the first annual Food Fight.
Everybody’s combined efforts are a powerful reminder of what United Food Bank is all about: uniting communities to alleviate hunger in Arizona.
“The Summer of a Million Meals fundraiser is one of our most important campaigns as it ensures every family has access to the meals they need,” said Jason Reed, President and CEO of United Food Bank. “We aren’t able to support Arizona families alone without the support of the community.”
But the campaign’s success wouldn’t have been possible without supporters like you. Whether you are a seasoned United Food Bank donor or have just been introduced to us, we thank you for impacting Arizona’s children and making this the best Summer of a Million Meals campaign yet!
Once again, we want to thank all of our community sponsors, including State Farm, Wells Fargo, Amazon, Pin Point Leak Detection, Lerner and Rowe, Whataburger and Semper Fi Heating and Cooling.
The Summer of a Million Meals was financially assisted by The Kroger Co. and Fry’s through The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation. The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation is a nonprofit corporation and tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code dedicated to finding solutions to combat the issues of food insecurity
Communications and Grants Specialist
Email: ifleck@unitedfoodbank.org
