First Community Bank food drive benefits Upshur County Parish House Backpack Program

Beckie Boyd
December 13, 2023

BUCKHANNON – The friendly folks of First Community Bank in Buckhannon recently hosted an employee food drive to benefit local students of the Upshur County Parish House Backpack Program. This donation comes in time to spread holiday cheer through a full stomach and warmed heart.

Bank employees rallied together to collect easy-to-fix meals, canned goods and snacks for families to utilize while students from Upshur County Schools are home on Christmas break beginning Friday, Dec. 22 until they return to school on Tuesday, Jan. 2. The donations were delivered to Upshur Parish House and Crosslines earlier this week by First Community Bank employees.

The Upshur County Parish House Backpack Program allows children to take food home with them in preparation for holiday breaks such as Thanksgiving, Spring Break or Christmas. According to a previous My Buckhannon publication, the Parish House strives to fill the demand for these backpacks full of goodies for not only holiday breaks for students, but one day returning to weekly services as well.

Following the Upshur County Chamber of Commerce meeting in November, First Community Bank employees learned that the Upshur Parish House and Crosslines now administer the program and they are in need of items to put in the backpacks.

“We took it upon ourselves to do a food drive here at the bank from the employees to get food for the kids,” said Karen Knabenshue, Branch Manager of First Community Bank in Buckhannon. “[Upshur Parish House and Crosslines] gave us specifics they were looking for mac-and-cheese, granola bars, crackers, canned food, and things that the kids can easily get fixed so they can have a meal when they’re not in school.”

Knabenshue said many local students rely on the meals provided to them for breakfast and lunch at Upshur County Schools. With donations from their friends at First Community Bank, local children could have backpacks full of food to take home for Christmas break.

“In this season of giving, it’s the perfect time to make sure the kids have a hot meal,” Knabenshue said.

Community members interested in donating to the Upshur County Parish House Backpack Program this season of giving are encouraged to contact Upshur Parish House and Crosslines by calling 304-472-0743 or stopping by 68 College Avenue in Buckhannon.

Visit First Community Bank at 2 West Main Street in Buckhannon to learn more about their donation and their abundance of banking services. Call your local bankers at First Community Bank at 304-472-1112.