Peoples Bank employees raise more than $5,200 for Marietta food pantry

MARIETTA, Ohio (WTAP) - Peoples Bank employees have donated more than $5,200 to the Greater Marietta Community Food Pantry through a program that lets workers support local food banks and pantries with contributions from their paychecks.

The employee-funded Jeans for Hunger program began in 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic brought food insecurity into sharper focus in the communities the bank serves, said Staci Matheny, president of the Peoples Bank Foundation and Peoples Insurance Agency. Employees who donate can wear jeans on Fridays.

The program has given more than $1 million to communities served by the bank since it began, Matheny said.

“I’m happy to report that we just came over a milestone and it’s over $1,000,000 that we have given back to our communities,” Matheny said. “So, we’re very, very proud of our employees. They’re living the mission; they’re living our values.”

Amanda Herb, a Greater Marietta Community Food Pantry board member, said the donation helps the pantry purchase food and cover operating costs throughout the year. Volunteers staff the pantry each week, she said.

“Nearly 10,000 people in Washington County, about one in six of our neighbors, don’t always know where their next meal is coming from,” Herb said. “A gift like this shows that local businesses see food security as a community priority and want to be part of the solution. It helps us keep our shelves stocked and our doors open for the families who rely on us.”

Matheny said employees can choose where their contributions go. Donations are made throughout the year, she said, with the largest gifts typically made at year’s end.

The bank-funded Peoples Bank Foundation also supports food pantries and food banks through grants, Matheny said. The foundation provides funding to local nonprofits that apply through its grant process.

Herb thanked the bank and others who support the pantry’s work.

“This is the season of giving, and generosity like this reminds us how much our community cares for one another,” she said.

Matheny encouraged people who want to give back to explore opportunities within their own organizations. She said she is willing to offer guidance to groups interested in starting similar programs.