GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The shelves at a Green Bay food pantry will be a bit fuller after receiving a check from the Green Bay Packers and Sargento Foods.
Paul’s Pantry received a $24,000 donation Tuesday as part of the Packers’ and Sargento’s Touchdowns for Hunger program. Hunger Task Force in Milwaukee will also be receiving a check as part of the program.
Touchdowns for Hunger, which donates $2,000 to end hunger for every touchdown scored by the green and gold, has been helping the community for 20 years. During those 20 years, the organizations have raised more than $1.7 million, and Paul’s Pantry alone has received $450,000.
Former Packers wide receiver Donald Driver, an advocate for the initiative, joined in on the check presentation. For him, the program is personal.
“You know, I’ve been in the same situation a lot of these families that come through these doors — I’ve been in the same situation. And so you see the impact that you can do.”
The former Packers star continued, “And, so, I just want to say thank you; thank you for allowing me to be a part of this. This is amazing. I think every day I wake up — people always ask me why I’m always smiling — this is why I always smile because if I can touch lives and impact lives in what I do, then I’m happy every day.”
Driver brought smiles to everyone’s faces after the check presentation too.
A long-time volunteer at Paul’s Pantry, Mavis, had been pointed out by Sargento CEO Louie Gentine during his speech. Driver, a champion on the dance floor as well as the football field, joined Mavis in a dance after the ceremony.
The dance may not have been as elaborate as some of the choreography he did on Dancing with the Stars, but the dancers received heartfelt cheers nonetheless.
