Weis Markets’ month-long “Fight Hunger” food drive generated $210,000 in customer food and monetary donations to local food banks and pantries throughout its five-state marketing area, which will be complemented by $200,000 in corporate donations to eight regional food banks.

“We’re not surprised our customers are so generous but we’re still impressed,” said Dave Hepfinger, Weis Markets’ president and CEO. “This year, we offered our customers more giving options, which resulted in higher overall donations. Our combined food and monetary donations — customer and corporate — will help provide approximately 328,000 meals to the less-well-off in our communities at a time when food bank demand continues to grow.”

The food drive ran during Hunger Action Month in September. In addition to product donations, the Sunbury, Pa.-based grocer’s customers made $108,000 in monetary donations, which will be given to the 86 separate emergency food organizations collecting food donations from Weis Markets’ stores.

Weis Markets’ $200,000 in corporate donations will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley and Northeast, Pa.; The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank (Harrisburg); Central Pennsylvanie Food Bank (Williamsport); Maryland Food Bank; the Commission on Economic Opportunity/The Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton); Greater Berks Food Bank (Reading); Food Bank of the Southern Tier (Elmira); Northwest Community Action Program Food Bank (Phillipsburg, N.J.); and Mountaineer Food Bank (West Virginia).

New this year was the availability of $3, $5 and $10 vouchers, which could be purchased at each cash register. Stores also sold new, convenient pre-filled Fight Hunger Donation Bags containing pasta, sauce, fruit, vegetables, tuna, cereal and soup — all for under seven dollars.

Weis Markets operates 165 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia.