Schneider Donates Refrigerated Trailer to Feeding America

GREEN BAY, WI….  Schneider  has found a unique way to help food pantries in Northeast Wisconsin provide for those in need. The company recently donated a refrigerated trailer to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, the state’s largest hunger-relief organization. The 53-foot trailer will be used to transport fresh produce and other perishables.

 “Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is a critical resource in our community,” said LuEllen Oskey, executive director of the Schneider Foundation. “We know that the use of food pantries during the pandemic has, sadly, grown exponentially, and we wanted to do our part to help. Giving them a safe, reliable refrigerated trailer that can get food to our neighbors more quickly was something we were excited to do.”

 The Schneider Foundation – the philanthropic arm of the enterprise – provides grants to eligible nonprofits to strengthen the communities where its associates live, work and volunteer. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin initially approached the Foundation requesting partial funding to purchase a used trailer. Schneider instead donated a trailer, with a value of approximately $35,000, to the organization. Schneider also installed a lift unit to make it easier for Feeding America to move food pallets in and out of the trailer. 

 “This refrigerated trailer with a lift gate is a true gift to our organization,” says Patti Habeck, president and CEO of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. “The trailer will help us meet increased demand during the pandemic and also build on our volunteer driver and student driver program with Fox Valley Technical College. This is a great example of collaboration in the community in support of our mission to solve hunger. Our community will benefit so much from the generosity of Schneider.”

According to Habeck, demand for food donations is currently around four times higher than what is typical for this time of year.

 The trailer has been wrapped in an appropriate design featuring the Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin logo and Schneider logo superimposed on a background of giant, fresh carrots. This is a great symbol for both organizations, since produce is one of the top three food items distributed by the food bank (increasing 15% in the last fiscal year), and it mirrors Schneider’s signature orange trucks. 

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