OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Fill the Fridge started in 2012 with the idea of making sure no one in the area goes hungry.
Each year of the event, the number of pounds of food donated to Harvesters grew.
41 Action News along with Price Chopper and Harvesters hit a big milestone in 2019.
"As of yesterday (Friday), we reached one million meals since 2012," Jessica Crozier, with Price Chopper said.
Harvesters said it's life changing being able to feed more than a million people.
"It's allowing us to get the perishable food. The good dairy, produce, lunch meats. Things that are a little expensive to buy ad the clients normally can't afford it," Gene Hallinan with Harvesters said.
According to Harvesters, every day, one in eight people people in the city don't know if they will eat the next day.
"These are the people that don't know, they have a meal today but may not have a meal tomorrow. We provide food for 141,000 people every month. Just means so much we can help people," Hallinan said.
The Kansas City community supported Harvesters' mission throughout the week.
"We've been without before. So, I know how it feels a little bit. Probably not as bad a lot of people but can never hurt. It's always good karma," Kirk Nelson, who donated items earlier in the week said.
It's the Midwest mentality, looking out for others. Making sure our city has enough to eat.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you. We truly could not do this food drive without the community and without our customers and people just stopping by to donate," Crozier said.
