ELMIRA, NY (WENY)- Over $223,000 was raised right here in our community to fight hunger locally through The Food Bank of the Southern Tier's 2022 Check-Out Hunger Campaign. 

The organization celebrated with a 'Grati-Tour' on Tuesday thanking grocery stores that partnered with them and contributed to helping those in need. 

It is the 28th year of the Food Bank of the Southen Tier's largest annual community fundraising campaign. Natasha Thompson President and CEO of the organization says it was a success thanks to the amazing support of grocery stores like Jubilee Foods, Save A Lot, Tops, and Wegmans.

"It's always a nail bitter, you never know depending on the commitment from the store's from the cashiers really the reaction of the community," Thompson said.

And she personally thanked her retail partners. during Tuesday's one-day GratiTour, it's a celebration where the food bank staff visited all 14 participating grocery store partners.

"We've been visiting all of the stores to thank them for their contribution to the 'Check Out Hunger' campaign. We wanted to recognize their highest-grossing cashiers because it's all about the cashiers who ask people to donate. And here at our last stop, we revealed the total amount the campaign raised," Thompson said.

The Corporate Partnership Manager for the Food Bank of the Southern Tier says over $223,000 thousand was raised to provide thousands of meals to families within the community.

"Over 600 thousand meals, the need in our community has been so high so many people in the Southern Tier need help," Katherine Strawser said.