Metro Bus 12th Annual Jolly Trolley Food Drive at Local Grocery Stores December 13th, 14th, and 15th

(KNSI) — The 12th annual Jolly Trolley Food Drive is back for 2022.

Metro Bus and community business partners will collect nonperishable food items and cash to help out the local food shelves at grocery stores around the St. Cloud area. The Jolly Trolley will be at Coborn’s on Cooper on Tuesday, December 13th, Lunds & Byerly’s on Wednesday, December 14th and Coborn’s in Sauk Rapids Thursday, December 15th. The food drives run from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. each day. Donations will go to area food shelves, including Catholic Charities Emergency Services, the Promise Neighborhood of Central MN and the St. Cloud Area Salvation Army.

Metro Bus says monetary donations are beneficial because food shelves have the purchasing power to buy as much as five times as much food for every $1 donated. Food shelves can also buy specifically needed items. All cash donations will also be matched through the Stearns Bank Community Challenge, matching dollar for dollar up to $100,000 to benefit local food pantries.

Ryan Daniel, CEO of Metro Bus, says, “The Jolly Trolley is a way for Metro Bus, as well as our partners, to give back to the community that has supported us for decades. We care about our community and those who use our services. The food drive is a great way to support our neighbors who are in need. The last couple of years have been difficult for everyone but we appreciate the help of our partner businesses and their employees to keep the Jolly Trolley full during the pandemic.”

The first Jolly Trolley rolled out in 2011 and has collected over 45,000 pounds of food and $25,000 cash. That includes last year’s totals of 7,400 pounds of food and $1,800.

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