Dot Foods is fighting hunger in Dyersburg through Neighbor-to-Neighbor program

Dot Foods-Dyersburg employees gather together with representatives from four local food pantries following a $9K check donation and collection donations of $500K in food that will benefit families in Dyer, Lake, and Lauderdale Counties.

Photo/ Rachel Townsend

RACHEL TOWNSEND

Managing Editor

Dot Foods kicked off their Neighbor-to-Neighbor charitable program with a donation promise of $36,000, a $19K increase over donations presented in past years. Each agency will receive donations in the amount of $9,000. Donations were presented to four charities who run food pantries for those in need across counties of Dyer, Lauderdale and Lake.

A check for $36K will be divided among the four pantries for a monetary donation of $9K each. The check presentation comes in addition to the company's food donation. Dot Foods has been providing these donations in Dyersburg since 2014.

Photo/ Rachel Townsend

Companywide, Dot Foods General Manager Duggan says Dot Foods has presented checks to food pantries across the country totaling roughly $430K in addition to food donations.

Duggan says the total distribution from Dot totals over $500K. “This is a commitment we make to our communities. Our philosophy is that if our communities are successful, we have a better chance to be successful, so we want to support them and we do that in many different ways…These agencies we have partnered with are critical in getting that food to the people who need it.”

Dot will deliver the goods to them in early November. The program having begun in 2014, Dot allows recipient charities choose food from its inventory to better suit the needs of each community.

Dot Foods Regional Manager Matt Duggan speaks to employees about the Neighbor-to-Neighborhood Program during Thursday morning’s check presentation. 

Photo/ Rachel Townsend

This year’s charities included: Pavilion of Hope (Dyersburg), Salvation Army of Dyer County (Dyersburg), Reelfoot Rural Ministries (Obion), and Bags of Hope Food Bank (Ripley).