The Fresh Grocer's Slam Dunk to Battle Hunger

Temple Men’s Basketball, Learfield’s Temple Sports Properties and The Fresh Grocer of Progress Plaza teamed up this season to give back to Philabundance, the Delaware Valley’s largest food bank. For every three-point basket made during the 2015-16 men’s basketball regular season, The Fresh Grocer of Progress Plaza set aside one case of non-perishable food for Philabundance. Earlier today, The Fresh Grocer, along with Temple head coach Fran Dunphy, a number of his players, and members of Temple Athletics administration, delivered and unloaded truckloads full of donated goods at Philabundance’s warehouse located at 302 W Berks Street location inPhiladelphia.            

“By sponsoring the Three’s for Hunger program we help strengthen our organization’s commitment to Philabundance and the organization’s important hunger relief efforts in our community,” says Patrick J. Burns, president and CEO of Burns’ Family Neighborhood Markets, owner and operator of The Fresh Grocer of Progress Plaza.  “We look forward to supporting this great program for years to come.”

The Temple men’s basketball team connected on 237 three-point baskets during the 2015-16 regular season, which means 237 cases were donated.  It was a banner year for the Owls in three-point shooting as they led the American Athletic Conference in that category.

“This partnership with the Burns Family and The Fresh Grocer of Progress Plaza has been a great success,” says Temple head coach Fran Dunphy. “Any chance we have to help the community we embrace, and the fact that we were able to help give back to our neighbors just by making threes is tremendous.”

“This has been a banner year for Temple Athletics, not just on the playing field, but in the classroom and in community initiatives such as this one.  This has been a wonderful partnership and has provided us an excellent opportunity to give back to the neighborhood,” says Temple University Director of Athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft. 

Donated items consisted of a variety of non-perishable foods identified by Philabundance as a priority for the hungry in our community.  

“Philabundance is grateful to Temple University’s Men’s basketball team and the Burns’ Family Fresh Grocer of Progress Plaza for their Three’s for Hunger program, which will provide 237 cases of needed items to help feed our neighbors in need,” says Glenn Bergman, Executive Director of Philabundance. “Most people don’t realize the urgency of hunger in our area, but with 750,000 food insecure people in this region, programs like this help make a big difference by proving nutritious, protein-rich foods, like tuna and peanut butter, for those who can’t afford it.”