U.S. Open leaves 70,000 pounds of food for needy families

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. -- The golfers left it all on the course as they competed in the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.

Now, the tournament is leaving something else behind: food.

“It was a wonderful surprise,” said Helen McGovern-Pilant, with Emergency Food Network in Pierce County, which received 70,000 pounds in unused food from the U.S. Open.

It will be distributed to 67 food banks and shelters throughout the county.

The food includes fruits, cheeses, and breads, but McGovern-Pilant is thrilled with the amount of steaks, hamburger, chicken, and milk that is stacked up in her freezers.

“That type of food was the bonus,” said McGovern-Pilant. “So much protein , so much meat, so much dairy. And those are the things most difficult to come by.”

McGovern-Pilant believes the leftover food could be worth as much as $500,000 dollars.

Kevin Glackin-Coley, who runs the St. Leo Food Bank in Tacoma, says the timing of the donation couldn’t be better.

“A lot of our families have kids in school, and during the summer months, free school breakfast and lunch aren’t there,” said Glackin-Coley.

Now, 70,000 pounds of new food is here to help needy families.