Each winter for 31 years running, United Food Operation distributes pallets of food, free-of-charge, to 13 independent food pantries around the Kanawha Valley. These distributions significantly augment the pantries' limited resources duing the winter's peak demand for their serivces.

Founded in 1981 by members of organized labor and their employers, United Food Operation, Inc. is supported primarily through voluntary contributions of employees at Charleston, West Virginia area business, industry, and government entities. It is an all-volunteer effort that operates out of donated warehouse and office space. With extremely low overhead—it pays no salaries, rent, utilities, or expensive fundraising campaign fees—more of its contributions go directly to purchasing food that is distributed to the needy through local food pantires.

The winter of 2013 expects to see a substantially increased need for food, so UFO is increasing its appeals to the broader community. We need your help to help find the resources necessary to meet this need. There is nothing alien about hunger. It occurs right here in our community.

You can help by making a contribution and by sharing this appeal with your friends, family, coworkers and others. Charleston-area employers can assist by allowing their employees to conduct a fundraising effort at work. Every little bit helps.