During the 2008 football season, the Green Bay Packers, on the strength of their fans, captured their seventh consecutive win in Campbell's Chunky soup's "Click for Cans" online food drive.
With the victory, the Packers earned 17,000 cans of Chunky soup to be distributed around Wisconsin. Associated Bank, a Packers corporate partner, joined the effort and donated an additional 11,200 cans to the cause.
The total of 28,200 cans was distributed Thursday morning, with the help of Packers defensive backs Will Blackmon and Aaron Rouse, to 30 Wisconsin area food pantries at the Associated Bank Gate on Lambeau Field's west side. Each pantry received about 900 cans. A total of about 335,000 people receive assistance from the pantries present.
Joining the players and approximately 60 pantry representatives were Laura Sankey, Packers senior vice president of marketing and sales, Denis Hogan, Associated Bank regional president and Bonnie Bellehumeur, president of America's Second Harvest of Wisconsin.
"We're thankful to Campbell's Chunky soup for sponsoring the NFL program and of course to all the Packers fans for supporting the team to the seventh consecutive title through their online clicks," said Sankey. " The click for cans contest is a perfect way for our fans to demonstrate the community spirit that is the tradition of the Packers. This contest has allowed the fans to directly be involved in helping their team give back to the community. It's a perfect example of the awesome bond between the Packers and our fans.
"We're also very thankful to have Associated Bank, a Packers sponsor, join us in the effort. Associated has been a longtime partner of the Packers and a strong presence in communities across Wisconsin for many years. We share in the same values of community spirit, and especially community support. We've had the opportunity to work together on many projects, and today's event is another reason we value our partnership with them."
