Since it began 15 years ago, the Wegmans East Avenue Grocery Run has raised over $550,000 to fight food insecurity in Rochester. On November 2, 1,645 runners filled the streets of Downtown Rochester for the annual run, which supports local food pantries and meal programs.

Wegmans Business Analyst Bill Weisensel, a participant since the event’s inception, joined by 200 other Wegmans employees, says the run brings attention to community needs.

“It also brings people of all ages and backgrounds together and is truly a fun community event,” he adds. “It’s fun to catch up with old friends and meet my co-workers’ families.”

Wegmans has been a sponsor of the event since the beginning, but organizer Kerrie Merz says Wegmans’ impact has increased since becoming the title sponsor of the event this year.

“This partnership will provide more resources and funding for smaller pantries in the area and help more families put food on the table,” she says. “Our event volunteers and sponsors make it possible for 100 percent of the money raised to go to these programs.”

Not only was there a 28% increase in participants than in years past, but the runners, donors, and sponsors raised more than $85,000 to help support more than three dozen area pantries and food programs, with 100% of the proceeds going to these local non-profit organizations.

“The impact on our agencies is tremendous,” says Rich Redding, development coordinator for The Community Place of Greater Rochester and Charles Settlement House. “Supplementing our food pantries with funds from the Wegmans East Avenue Grocery Run allows us to serve more people, particularly when other funding has decreased, because the need does not.”

For more information about donating to the Wegmans East Avenue Grocery Run, or how you can get involved next year, visit groceryrun.org.