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Supermarkets CARES program raises $5,000 for United Samaritans
Save Mart pic
Save Mart store managers Evo Silva (left) and Tony DeWinkle (right) present United Samaritans Foundation Executive Director Beverly Hatcher with a check for $5,000 raised through the supermarkets Save Mart CARES program. - photo by ANGELINA MARTIN/The Journal

When it comes to giving back, Turlock’s local Save Mart Supermarkets put their money where their mouths are. Store managers Tony DeWinkle (Geer Road location) and Evo Silva (Lander Avenue location) presented the United Samaritans Foundation with a $5,000 check on Monday on behalf of Save Mart CARES.

Save Mart CARES is a charitable organization which aims to give back through five means: Community, Arts, Recreation, Education and Sports.

The United Samaritans Foundation is the largest non-profit direct food distributor to the hungry within Stanislaus County, serving over 30,000 meals a month. The $5,000 raised through Save Mart CARES will go toward providing meals for the needy in Turlock through the United Samaritans’ food truck, and at just two dollars a meal, Executive Director Beverly Hatcher knows the money donated will have an incredible impact.

“Eighty percent of the people we served are housed, but can’t get to the stationary sites where we serve food,” said Hatcher. “With the food truck, we can deliver into their neighborhoods so it helps the seniors, moms with toddlers and the disabled.”

“Save Mart CARES reaches out in a whole bunch of different ways, but this is definitely a way we can give back, help out where the help is really needed and touch these people in our local community,” said DeWinkle.

Save Mart shoppers can give back as well, according to DeWinkle. By signing up for eScrip when applying for a Save Mart card, shoppers can choose organizations that they would like three percent of their purchases donated to. United Samaritans is one organization that is part of the eScrip program and can be chosen, as well as other local programs involving schools and the arts.

“They can make a donation without even trying,” said DeWinkle.

“We want people to know that Save Mart is out there – we’re not just here to do business, but we’re also here to help out in the community that we work in,” added Silva. “It’s pretty painless because you have to buy groceries anyway, so why not come to a place that’s going to be helping the community and giving money back.”