EL PASO, Texas — The $500 million FirstLight Federal Credit Union has become a champion for helping feed the hungry in West Texas following its drive to collect foodstuffs for the West Texas Food Bank in conjunction with its marquee role as sponsor of the annual FirstLight FCU Sun Bowl Parade.
Indeed, this year's collection campaign, timed to coincide with the Nov. 22 parade through El Paso streets, turned out to be "the largest food drive in the history of the city with over 100 volunteers collecting 55,000 pounds of food before and during the parade." That kind of poundage brought high praise from national food bank leaders, citing the CU's public service role in spearheading an extraordinary campaign to help feed the hungry throughout counties of West Texas.
The 55,000 pounds in cans and other foodstuffs piled along the parade route "is truly a huge amount and a testimony to the good work of the credit union," said a spokesman for America's Second Harvest, a Chicago-based agency that helps service a national network of 200 food banks across the U.S., including the West Texas Food Bank.
The food bank, based in Odessa but with offices in El Paso, serves 22 counties in West Texas.
FirstLight FCU first put together the food drive a year ago as almost a spur of the moment event as part of its Sun Bowl parade sponsorship, now in its third year.
In 2007, however, "we wanted the drive to be even larger and we succeeded," said a spokeswoman.
"FirstLight is proud to support this worthy cause and, with the FirstLight FCU Sun Bowl Parade, it is one way that we can all give back to our community," said Karl Murphy, president/CEO.
In addition to the 55,000 pounds collected at the parade, FirstLight and its members collected or donated about 4,500 pounds in addition to over $1,000 in monetary donations.
Hyta Folsom, executive director of the West Texas Food Bank in Odessa, also praised CU staffers and an "enthusiastic El Paso committee which became aware of the need" and made things happen.
The CU used TV, radio, magazine and billboard ads to promote both the parade and the food drive, said Natalia Flores, FirstLight community marketing supervisor.
The actual Sun Bowl game pitting Oregon State and University of South Florida was set for Dec. 31.
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