Earnhardt Auto Centers donates 75,000 meals to St. Mary's Food Bank

PHOENIX - St. Mary's Food Bank received a donation on Monday morning from Earnhardt Auto Centers. The donation helps to commemorate the auto center's 75th anniversary by giving back to their community during the shelter's busy summer months.

What they're saying:

"It couldn't come at a better time, especially for the water with temperatures hitting 100 degrees this week," Jerry Brown of St. Mary's Food bank explained.

To honor Earnhardt Auto Centers' 75th anniversary, the auto center is donating enough money to cover 75,000 meals and 75,000 bottles of water.

Owner Derby Earnhardt said the goal is "...to tie in 75 and be able to help so many families in need." Brown noted that Earnhardt Auto Centers is marking a major milestone.

"They're celebrating their 75th anniversary. We've been here almost 60 years, so long time Arizona companies are partnering together in honor of their 75th anniversary," he said.

What you can do:

Brown says St. Mary's Food Bank needs donations to keep things running smoothly.

"We're seeing an awful lot of people, we're up 15 percent over last year, which was a record number, so we're seeing more than 2,200 families a day. With rising gas prices, inflation, we're seeing more people and more first-timers than we have in a long time, and at the same time, we're getting less food from the government compared to this time last year, so we're purchasing a lot of food, so these kinds of donations really help us keep up with the amount of people that we're seeing," Brown said.

Big picture view:

This donation will go a long way toward helping those in need right here in Arizona.

"It's important to give back to this community. We've been here 75 years doing business – important for us to give back to where our roots are," Earnhardt explained.

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