Since March 1, the Dayton Food Pantry has received 2,700 food items and $1200 in cash donations from local groups that have taken the challenge to fight hunger in Dayton with the annual “Feinstein Challenge.” The campaign, which takes place March 1 through April 30 each year, inspires groups to come up with creative ways to collect food or raise cash for the food pantry, which typically serves over 1,000 local people each month. Mary Piper, coordinator for the local Challenge, explained, “The Feinstein Challenge is a win-win situation. If groups or individuals donate non-perishable food items or money to Dayton Food Pantry in March and April, the Feinstein Foundation will add funds.”
Schools, Sheriff’s Department and Businesses All Pitch In: All of the schools and the many groups in Dayton have joined the challenge. Sutro Elementary led a “Mac and Cheese” drive and collected over 200 boxes during the first week of their drive. Dayton High is holding a food drive April 16-20 and competing with Fernley High to see who can collect the most non-perishable food items for their local pantries. As always, many businesses and community groups are also pitching in. Lyon Sheriff’s Department will be hosting a “Stuff a Cop Car With Food” day on April 7 at Smith’s Grocery parking lot on Highway 50 in Dayton between 12:30 and 5:30pm. Curves Health Club of Dayton is having a “give a bag of groceries, join for free” special for the Feinstein Challenge, and Pioneer Crossing and Terrible’s Casino are both again offering specials related to the food drive.
Where Can People Donate? Donations of non-perishable food, cash, checks and pledges received from March 1st to April 30th will be counted for the Feinstein Challenge. Look for conveniently located “Feinstein Challenge” donation barrels, boxes or front office donation envelopes at most businesses and offices in Dayton, or drop donations at the Dayton Food Pantry at 4 Enterprise Way and HWY 50 between 10am-4pm Monday through Friday.
List of Sites with Donation Barrels or Boxes:
Curves
Pizza Factory
Road Runner
Pioneer Crossing
1st and 10
Riverview Fitness
Subway
Dayton Valley Branch Library
Riverview Elementary
Dayton, Riverview, and Sutro Elementary Schools
Dayton Intermediate School
Dayton High School
Caldwell Bankers
Dayton Chamber of Commerce office
Dayton Valley Golf Course
Nevada Credit Union
Terribles (Dayton)
Dayton Senior Center
What is the Feinstein Challenge? Alan Feinstein is a nationally known philanthropist and humanitarian whose past 14 challenges to fight hunger resulted in over $1 billion for thousands of agencies nationwide (feinsteinfoundation.org). Last year during the Feinstein Challenge, the Dayton Pantry received $5,122.30 in cash and checks and 12,434 items of food, for grand total of $17,556.
The totals are impressive and reflect the spirit and energy displayed by the Dayton community in this remarkable effort. Local businesses, schools, clubs, churches, community organizations, local and county agencies and individuals came together for the challenge. Freida Carbery, manager at the Dayton Food Pantry, said, “We continue to be humbled by the generosity and compassion of the people of Dayton, and our neighbors in the surrounding communities.”
For more information about how to get involved with the Feinstein Challenge in Dayton, contact Challenge coordinator Mary Piper at (775) 230-1621. For more information about the Dayton Food Pantry, call director Freida Carbery at (775) 246- 7834.
