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Editorial: Weight-loss campaign supports food banks

Two years ago, local branches of the national Weight Watchers chain got involved with “Lose for Good,” a program designed to combine weight loss goals with donations to charitable organizations.

The idea started in 2003 when Debbie Hugo, a Weight Watchers group leader in Kent, was trying to come up with new, invigorating ideas for encouraging her members in their weight-loss goals.

Hugo’s idea caught the attention of a company executive and the “Lose for Good” campaign quickly caught on nationwide.

Locally, the Puyallup and Bonney Lake branches of Weight Watchers combined to donate nearly 2,000 pounds of food items to the Puyallup Valley Food Bank and Step By Step Ministry, which specifically focuses on low-income families.

Along with helping others, local Weight Watchers members also managed to help themselves: They lost a collective total of 4,000 pounds during the eight-week program.

The donations are greatly appreciated during a time when the food bank is seeing its demands rise to an all-time high. We encourage more residents to get involved with these types of programs. Attending a Nov. 7 open house is a good time for people to learn more about the food bank’s mission.