Utah Food Bank Wins $1 Million In Walmart Online Contest

Utah has long been known as a compassionate state where people care about each other, and about the poor. That’s part of the reason we consistently rank high in quality of life studies. Now Salt Lake City has rallied to win $1 million for the Utah Food Bank by getting 5.3 million supporters in Walmart's online "Fighting Against Hunger" contest.

KSL has this report about the contest. Below are excerpts.

The announcement was met with cheers at the food bank Wednesday afternoon.

Ogden finished in fourth place and is one of five cities that will receive $100,000 each.

Online votes for Salt Lake City — which were counted when users "liked" posts and links from the contest on Facebook — surged to nearly 5.3 million as the contest ended on New Year's Eve.

The Utah Food Bank provides food to 150 food banks and pantries statewide, spokeswoman Summer Pugh said. Cash donations are used to purchase food and the food bank's transportation network.

Thanks to an extensive volunteer workforce, 52 full-time employees and relationships with the food industry every dollar contributed to the Utah Food Bank can be leveraged in $7 in good and services.

For instance, Feeding America, the national food bank organization enables food banks to pick up produce from growers for only the cost of transporting the items.

Contest results
Salt Lake City, Utah
Fresno, Calif.
Columbia, SC
Ogden, Utah
Charleston, SC
Bakersfield , Calif.