food donations https://www.thebatavian.com/ en https://www.thebatavian.com/themes/barrio_batavian/images/thebatavian_logo.png food donations https://www.thebatavian.com/ Local Matters © 2008-2023 The Batavian. All Rights Reserved. Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:24:40 -0400 https://www.thebatavian.com/themes/barrio_batavian/images/thebatavian_logo.png Sun, 22 Nov 2020 14:00:00 -0500 Alexander native and 97 Rock DJ 'The Jixter' helps to Rock Out Hunger every year https://www.thebatavian.com/virginia-kropf/alexander-native-and-97-rock-dj-the-jixter-helps-to-rock-out-hunger-every-year/561949

For a week, local television stations have been advertising the antics of 97 Rock’s DJ, known as The Jixter, and his promotion to collect food for Rock Out Hunger.

Many people don’t realize The Jixter is none other than Alexander native Dave Gick, son of Bill and Audrey Gick, of Alexander.

Gick, who prefers to be called “The Jixter,” got his first broadcasting job at WCJW Radio in Warsaw after graduating from Alexander High School.

He went to work at 97 Rock (WGRF-FM) in 2005, and every year since he has spent a week at Thanksgiving living 24/7 in a tractor-trailer parked in the Buffalo area to accept donations of nonperishable food items and turkeys.

This year the donation truck is at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital on Maple Avenue in Buffalo. The Jixter will be there until 10 a.m. Tuesday to accept your gifts of food for our neighbors in the region who need it.

“When I first started at 97 Rock, they asked for a young and single guy to volunteer,” The Jixter said. “They asked me if I’d be willing to live in a truck for a week.”

He has done that every year since, he said. He sleeps in a recliner and only takes a break to change his clothes and brush his teeth in a motorhome supplied by the Upstate Auto Group of Attica.

“Upstate Auto has supported everything I’ve done since I started broadcasting,” The Jixter said. 

He has a heated recliner, which someone donated for him to sleep in this year, although he said it is questionable how much sleep he gets. If people show up in the middle of the night with a donation, he accepts it. Sometimes he wakes up and there will be a box of food on the steps.

During the past 14 years The Jixter has done this, they have collected $260,000, 245,000 pounds of food and 31,000 turkeys. Last year they collected more than $37,000, and 32,557 pounds of food and 2,400 turkeys. As of Saturday afternoon, they 844 turkeys.

The donated food will be distributed by FeedMoreWNY, a group formed by the merger of the Food Bank of Western New York and Meals on Wheels of Western New York. In 2019, FeedMoreWNY provide 12 million meals through various programs, and as of September they had already surpassed that number.

The Jixter said there are people in need every year, and this year especially is expected to be greater.

Rock Out Hunger is sponsored by 97 Rock, Kaleida Health and WKBW 7 Eyewitness News. 

The Jixter said a lot of his friends from the Genesee County area have come up to see him and he welcomes everyone.

Saturday, he and a dozen volunteers were busy nonstop accepting donations from people who could drive up in their car and open their trunk for a volunteer to take their donation. The Jixter said volunteers sign up with FeedMoreNY, and they come every year. 

Top photo, The Jixter stands on the stairs leading into the tractor-trailer at Millard Fillmore Surburban Hospital, where he is spending the week to collect food for the needy.

Below, The Jixter unpacks donated food for Rock Out Hunger.

Below, Alexander native Dave Gick points to paper chains, each link representing a donated turkey to feed the hungry.

Below, 97 Rock’s The Jixter takes time out from unloading cases of donated food to broadcast a live thank you for a large donation of pizzas for FeedMore WNY. 

Photos courtesy of Virginia Kropf.

]]> https://www.thebatavian.com/virginia-kropf/alexander-native-and-97-rock-dj-the-jixter-helps-to-rock-out-hunger-every-year/561949#comments https://www.thebatavian.com/virginia-kropf/alexander-native-and-97-rock-dj-the-jixter-helps-to-rock-out-hunger-every-year/561949 Nov 22, 2020, 2:00pm food donations Alexander native and 97 Rock DJ 'The Jixter' helps to Rock Out Hunger every year Virginia Kropf <p><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.thebatavian.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/users/2061/2020-11/rocks.out_.hunger.jpg?itok=qDjxDGFT" width="460" height="345" alt class="image-style-large"> </div> </div> </p> <div> <p>For a week, local television stations have been advertising the antics of 97 Rock’s DJ, known as The Jixter, and his promotion to collect food for Rock Out Hunger.</p> <p>Many people don’t realize The Jixter is none other than Alexander native Dave Gick, son of Bill and Audrey Gick, of</p></div> Northgate church food distribution: one person per vehicle, must show ID for each household https://www.thebatavian.com/billie-owens/northgate-church-food-distribution-one-person-per-vehicle-must-show-id-for-each As reported yesterday, The Salvation Army, along with FoodLink, will oversee a “Pop-up” Mobile pantry at Northgate Free Methodist Church -- North Campus (8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia) beginning at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 22.

Subsequently, Todd Rapp, local coordinator of Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army, clarified information for picking up donated food.

At the request of FoodLink, the agency working in partnership with The Salvation Army and Northgate church, there should be only one PERSON per vehicle, not family per vehicle, if possible.

The driver needs to show valid ID for proof of residency. If you need to pick up for an additional household, you will need to provide an ID from the head of that household as well as your own.

"There can be no exceptions to the ID rule," Rapp said.

Food distribution will be done on a “drive thru” basis to insure social distancing and proper hygiene.

Residents are asked to pull into the church lot and go around the back of the building via the north side.

Volunteers kindly ask that your vehicle's trunk, cargo area or truck bed is empty, as they will not be permitted to rearrange items for you.

Pull up to the pallets and volunteers will load the items for you. This will continue until all the food is gone.

Please arrive no earlier than 9 a.m.

For more information, please visit northgatefmc.com or call (585) 343-4011.

Also be aware that local The Salvation Army has exhausted food supplies for the Emergency Pantry due to a surge in demand.

So Northgate church is holding an ongoing food drive to stock the pantry each Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during "New York on PAUSE" due to the coronavirus pandemic starting this Monday, April 20.

And The Salvation Army is also continuing to accept donations at their headquarters at 529 E. Main St. in Batavia on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

There will be volunteers available to unload items from your vehicle, and safety precautions will be made to maintain social distancing.

The Salvation Army NEEDS:

  • Canned meats
  • Peanut butter and jelly
  • Soups and chili in cans
  • Pastas and pasta sauce
  • Rice
  • Beans
  • Breakfast items
  • Snack items for kids
  • Shelf-stable milk
]]> https://www.thebatavian.com/billie-owens/northgate-church-food-distribution-one-person-per-vehicle-must-show-id-for-each#comments https://www.thebatavian.com/billie-owens/northgate-church-food-distribution-one-person-per-vehicle-must-show-id-for-each Apr 18, 2020, 11:53am food donations Northgate church food distribution: one person per vehicle, must show ID for each household Billie Owens <p>As reported yesterday, The Salvation Army, along with FoodLink, will oversee a “Pop-up” Mobile pantry at Northgate Free Methodist Church -- North Campus&nbsp;(8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia) beginning at 9 a.m.&nbsp;on Wednesday, April 22.</p> <p>Subsequently, Todd Rapp, local coordinator of Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army, clarified information for</p> UPDATED: Ongoing food drives planned in Batavia during pandemic as need soars https://www.thebatavian.com/billie-owens/updated-ongoing-food-drives-planned-in-batavia-during-pandemic-as-need-soars/553156

*UPDATE 11:15 a.m., Saturday, April 18: Todd Rapp, local coordinator of Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army, clarified this press release today by saying there should only be one PERSON per household in a vehicle when picking up donated food. You must provide ID. If the driver is picking up food for another household, too, the driver must present an ID for that head of houehold as well.

Submitted photo and press release:

The Salvation Army of Batavia usually helps two to three families obtain meals, three times a week. Currently they are caring for 25-40 families. Their supplies are exhausted.

Northgate Free Methodist Church will be hosting a food drive to support The Salvation Army each Monday during "New York on PAUSE." Please drop off food donations at Northgate North Campus (8160 Bank Street Road), Mondays during the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Salvation Army is also continuing to accept donations at their headquarters at 529 E. Main St. in Batavia on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Salvation Army NEEDS:

  • Canned meats
  • Peanut butter and jelly
  • Soups and chili in cans
  • Pastas and pasta sauce
  • Rice
  • Beans
  • Breakfast items
  • Snack items for kids
  • Shelf-stable milk

There will be volunteers available to unload items from your vehicle, and safety precautions will be made to maintain social distancing.

Wednesday, April 22, beginning at 9 a.m., The Salvation Army, along with FoodLink, will oversee a “Pop-up” Mobile pantry at Northgate (8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia).

This will be done as a “drive thru” distribution to insure social distancing and proper hygiene.

Residents are asked to pull into the church lot and go around the back of the building via the north side. You will be required to show a valid form of ID to show residency and FoodLink is requesting ONE family person per vehicle.*

Volunteers kindly ask that your vehicle's trunk, cargo area or truck bed is empty, as they will not be permitted to rearrange items for you.

Pull up to the pallets and volunteers will load the items for you. This will continue until all the food is gone.

Please arrive no earlier than 9 a.m.

For more information, please visit northgatefmc.com or call (585) 343-4011.

In a time where we are being asked to remain apart, let’s do what we can to help those who are in need right now. 

]]> https://www.thebatavian.com/billie-owens/updated-ongoing-food-drives-planned-in-batavia-during-pandemic-as-need-soars/553156#comments https://www.thebatavian.com/billie-owens/updated-ongoing-food-drives-planned-in-batavia-during-pandemic-as-need-soars/553156 Apr 17, 2020, 12:05pm food donations UPDATED: Ongoing food drives planned in Batavia during pandemic as need soars Billie Owens <p><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.thebatavian.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/users/2061/2020-04/img_5288.jpeg?itok=1PAiBeE0" width="460" height="459" alt class="image-style-large"> </div> </div> </p> <p><strong>*UPDATE 11:15 a.m.,&nbsp;Saturday, April 18:</strong> Todd Rapp, local coordinator of Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army, clarified this press release&nbsp;today by saying there should only be one PERSON per household in a vehicle when picking up donated food. You must provide ID. If the driver is picking up</p>