The Food Bank of Western New York has received a new forklift through a grant from C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc.

Locally, C&S employs more than 600 people and operates its Erie Logistics food distribution centers in Lancaster and Cheektowaga. The equipment will make it faster and easier to transport food that both comes into and goes out of the food bank.

"C&S has supported The Food Bank of Western New York for a long time," said Gina Goff, C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc. community involvement director. "We believe in what they do for local families and individuals and the food assistance organizations that help, ranging from community kitchens to after school programs. Their request for support to buy a new forklift was compelling."

Past contributions from the company have helped the food bank establish a new Kids Cafe, offer healthy cooking classes, and operate its Value Added Process program to repackage bulk quantities of food. Employees from C&S have volunteered at the Food Bank on national Make A Difference Day, rolling up their sleeves to sort food and to pack blizzard boxes.

"This new forklift came just in time," said Marylou Borowiak, Food Bank of Western New York president and chief executive officer. "The one it is replacing was old, slow and on its last tire. Much of what we do depends on the safe and efficient functioning of our equipment so the new forklift will make a real difference in our warehouse operations and our mission."

The Food Bank of Western New York distributes more than 1 million pounds of food each month to nearly 100,000 residents in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties. Thirty-nine percent of those the agency serves are children.