News & Press Releases

Back to List »

Grand Central Mall to Hold Community Food Drive

Vienna, W.Va. – Grand Central Mall officials announced plans for a community food drive to benefit local pantries. The drive is slated for Saturday, May 9^th from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm at the mall’s center court location. Items that will be accepted include non-perishable food items, household cleaners, and household paper products.

This event has been organized by a group of local 8^th through 12^th grade students who make up the mall’s Teen Advisory Board. The board, which meets a few times throughout the year, has helped with mall events and programs such as Magical Night of Giving and Family Night. As their community project for the 2008-2009 school year, the board wanted to do something that would make a broad impact on the community.

Kaitlyn Yerby, an 11^th grade student from Parkersburg South, is a member of the Teen Advisory Board at Grand Central Mall. She points out that “giving back and helping with this event is very important because these are possibly kids just like us who are less fortunate. And any little bit you can do will make a big difference in someone’s life.”

Katrina Stephens, Marketing Director for the Grand Central Mall, says it is great to see such initiative within the group. “Our community is not immune to the problems that are affecting our nation right now. Unfortunately, our area has been hit with hardships, and these teens recognize that. Almost every one of them knows someone who has been directly impacted by these hard times. And they want to do their part to help.”

The Grand Central Mall is working with the United Way Alliance to organize the distribution of the food collected during the drive. Joyce Mather, Executive Director of the United Way, states, “We are absolutely thrilled to help the Grand Central Mall with their food drive. The 16 churches with pantries that United Way funds through the Emergency Food & Shelter Program (formerly FEMA) will be delighted to receive the donations.”

The mall has also partnered with Clear Channel Radio Group and its five local stations to promote the event.

Grand Central Mall and the Teen Advisory Board urge the community to show their support and turn out with donations on May 9^th. “On an average Saturday, more than 10,000 shoppers visit the Grand Central Mall. Can you imagine if each one of those shoppers brought just one can of food? What a difference we could all make,” states Stephens.

Contact:
Katrina Stephens
Grand Central Mall
304-485-4465
kstephen@glimcher.com