LUMBERTON — The shelves of a Lumberton food pantry are a lot fuller thanks to the SpartanNash.

The wholesaler on Thursday made a $5,000 donation to the Robeson County Church and Community Center. Darlene Jacobs, the nonprofit’s executive director, says the money will be used to feed hungry people over the holidays.

“We’ve been able to help even more people with their support,” Jacobs said. “This is just a tremendous, tremendous help to the Church and Community Center.”

SpartanNash, which runs a distribution plant on Cold Storage Road, typically makes its annual donation to the center in February. Jacobs said that the earlier arrival of this year’s gift will allow her facility to feed more people on Christmas.

The community center provides financial assistance and other services to people in need. In addition to its food bank, the nonprofit runs a home store and clothing donation site.

The center is one of 19 nonprofits across the country that recently received money through the company’s charitable division, the SpartanNash Foundation. Donations were made on behalf of the Michigan wholesaler’s 19 distribution centers.

According to its website, the SpartanNash Foundation has donated about $1 million to organizations that focus on “hunger, shelter and patriotism.” The foundation was formed following the merger of the Nash Finch Company and Spartan Stores.

For information, visit spartannash.com/community/foundation.

Gabrielle Isaac | The Robesonian SpartanNash’s Jimmy Carter, left, operations manager, and Michele Smith, administrative coordinator, present a $5,000 check to Darlene Jacobs, second from left, executive director of the Robeson County Church and Community Center, and Ricky Harris, right, Robeson County manager and a member of the center’s board.
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_IMG_0118_1024x726_cmyk.jpgGabrielle Isaac | The Robesonian SpartanNash’s Jimmy Carter, left, operations manager, and Michele Smith, administrative coordinator, present a $5,000 check to Darlene Jacobs, second from left, executive director of the Robeson County Church and Community Center, and Ricky Harris, right, Robeson County manager and a member of the center’s board.
| SpartanNash Donates to Church and Community Center

Staff report