MOSES LAKE - Representatives from CHS Sun Basin Growers presented a check for $13,080 to representatives of the Moses Lake Food Bank recently.

Sun Basin Growers was the largest contributor to CHS's Harvest for Hunger campaign, accumulating 637,940 pounds of food and $14,291.59.

In addition to the Moses Lake Food Bank, money and food was distributed to Second Harvest in Spokane, Quincy Food Bank, Royal City Food Bank, Othello Food Bank and Ephrata Food Bank.

The CHS business unit that collected the most meals per full-time employee received the maximum contribution from CHS - $300 per full time employee, said Dave Bewick, an administrator for Sun Basin Growers in Quincy. They have 114 full-time employees and distributed $32,700 in matching contributions.

"We're kind of competitive by nature," Bewick said with a laugh. But beyond the competition, participating in the campaign last year gave the Sun Basin employees a chance to see the need for food in local communities.

"It's not just the employees," he said. "But it's our customers, it's the community members, it's all the stakeholders of CHS working to achieve this goal and it was very successful."

With the donations raised by CHS, the Moses Lake Food Bank was able to send food to other food banks in need across the state, said Scott Kilpatrick, the food bank's financial manager.

"Thank you, CHS," said Peny Archer, operations manager at the food bank. "Thank you very much."