Chester County Food Bank exceeds 17,000-pound drive goal

The Chester County Food Bank collected 17,121 pounds of donated food during September's Hunger Action Month, topping its 17,000-pound goal.

The food bank set the target to mark its 17th anniversary. The organization, founded in 2009, serves more than 100 partner agencies across Chester County and distributes over 6 million pounds of food each year, with more than 81% being fresh fruits and vegetables, according to its October newsletter.

The food drive results arrived alongside a second piece of good news. The Chester County Food Bank has been named the main beneficiary of the 91st running of the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup, a timber steeplechase race set for Sunday, Nov. 1.

The four-mile course sends horses over 18 fences across Chester County countryside. It is one of only three four-mile steeplechase races sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association, according to the event's website.

The partnership is not new. In 2025, the Hunt Cup committee donated $75,000 to the food bank. The committee says it has raised close to $2 million for charitable organizations in the region over the years.

The designation comes as need remains high. According to the Hunt Cup website, one in eight Chester County residents goes hungry; for children, the figure is one in five. More than 45,000 people in the county face food insecurity, the Daily Local News reported in September.

Nick Imbesi of the Chester County Food Bank said at a Hunger Action Month event in Kennett Square on Sept. 2: "Here in Chester County, many of our neighbors still face daily uncertainty of not knowing whether they will have enough food."

The food bank said in its newsletter that it is grateful to the Hunt Cup organizers for selecting its mission and to every person who contributed to the September food drive.

The Frank A. McKee Golf Classic also raised $31,000 for the food bank in September.

Tickets for the Nov. 1 Hunt Cup, including general admission, reserved tailgate spots and a VIP Farm-to-Table Buffet at The Ruins, are available at pahuntcup.org. The Chester County Food Bank, based at 650 Pennsylvania Drive in Exton, can be reached at (610) 873-6000.

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