Vic Bailey Volkswagen launches “Fill The Atlas” food drive benefiting The Bridge at Green Street

Food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens across the country are reporting a 40 percent increase in demand as a result of the coronavirus outbreak at a time when less food is being donated and volunteers are staying home.

To help answer the call for food donations locally, Vic Bailey Volkswagen in Spartanburg has launched a “Fill The Atlas” campaign to benefit The Bridge at Green Street.

“Our mission statement at Vic Bailey starts with ‘Create a lifetime relationship in the community,’” said Vic Bailey Volkswagen General Manager Hal Foster. “I’ve seen several videos on Facebook recently about people needing food and this (food drive) fits perfectly with our mission to serve our community.”

The automotive dealership is collecting non-perishable food items to the fill the back of a Volkswagen Atlas. Donors can pull through the dealership’s service department and Vic Bailey personnel will unload it, Foster said.

“As soon as will fill one, we’ll take it to The Bridge. We want to fill as many as we can,” he said.

Donations will be accepted through April 30.

At The Bridge at Green Street, the demand for food has more than doubled, according to Director Valerie Forsberg. And like other food distribution locations around the country, The Bridge has seen a decline in food donations and volunteers.

“Normally, we see about 80 families – that’s a busy morning for us,” Forsberg said. “One day last week, we saw 177 families.”

A ministry of First Baptist Spartanburg, The Bridge at Green Street depends largely on food items from Second Harvest Food Bank, which has experienced a significant decrease in food donations from retailers because of consumer demand at grocery stores and constraints on the supply chain. The drop in Second Harvest donations prompted The Bridge three weeks ago to shift from its regular Monday through Thursday food giveaway schedule to drive-through service only on Tuesday and Thursday, Forsberg said.

“We have asked our church members to step in and they have been very generous,” said Forsberg. “We will continue to do the best we can, for as long as we can as long, as long as we have food.”

At Vic Bailey, Foster said he hopes his dealership’s efforts will prompt others to act, as well.

“Vic Bailey has been a trusted member of the Spartanburg community for 50 years,” Foster said. “We’re open and we want to do all that we can to help.”

About The Bridge at Green Street

The Bridge at Green Street is a ministry of First Baptist Spartanburg. The Bridge Market serves those receiving EBT, SSI or TANF or who fall below the specified income guidelines. The Bridge is open for food distribution from 9 a.m. until Noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays and is not open on any other day of the week for food distribution.

Want to donate?

Vic Bailey Volkswagen, 2671 Reidville Road, Spartanburg SC 29301, 864-381-6199

Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday Closed