Thousands of pounds of cheese donated to local food banks

JACKSON, Tenn. — Bongard Creameries, a national cheese manufacturer, has donated 18,000 pounds of cheese to local food banks across Tennessee and Minnesota, where the company is headquartered. More than 6,000 pounds of cheese was delivered to RIFA in Jackson.

Gracie Sloan, marketing and events cooridator for RIFA, says they are grateful for the donation.

“So this cheese is being used throughout various different areas of RIFA, including being used and served in our soup kitchen, as well as being distributed through our community outreach food sacks,” Sloan said.

Director of marketing for Bongard, Evan Carlson, says the company wanted to help their communities.

“Given the trying year that 2020 was in August and it continues into 2021, there’s a lot of individuals around the communities in which we operate our facilities and operate our plans that are in need right now and struggling,” Carlson said.

And they have donated enough to feed plenty of families.

“The 18,000 is primarily retail slices of cheese, and it’s enough cheese to have the potential to serve up to 25,000 individual families,” Carlson added.

Carlson says they believe this donation will lead to giving back to many people for the new year.

Donations also went to Helping Hands of Jackson and the West Tennessee Area Council of Boy Scouts’ Scouting for Food program.