PHOENIX -

Striving to end hunger in the Phoenix community, Camelback Subaru has so far donated 98,094 meals to St. Mary’s Food Bank through Feeding America. The dealership is also asking local residents to join them in this pursuit.

But ​​Camelback Subaru does not want the donations to stop there.

For every Subaru the dealership sells through May 31, it will donate 100 meals to the food bank in the car purchaser’s name.

Camelback Subaru’s work also doesn’t stop there. The company is collecting non-perishable food items at the dealership.

Donation boxes are located inside the store, and members of the public can drop off food through the service department or at the front desk.

The most needed items include peanut butter, canned ravioli, canned protein such as chicken or tuna, canned fruits (no sugar added or packed in 100% fruit juice), canned vegetables (low or no sodium), dry or canned beans (low sodium), and cereal (wholegrain or 100% wheat, boxed)

The dealership notes that 2 million Americans each year face a lack of consistent access to adequate food. Nearly 30% of the Arizona population is considered working poor. Those residents live on wages that barely cover housing and other basic necessities. Many community members have little money to spare for food, and they often go without meals. To feed themselves and their families, at times they have no other choice but to purchase the cheapest, sometimes expired, groceries.

The dealership said members of the public can battle those statistics by donating at the dealership or joining the online fund drive at Bitly.com/CamelbackSubaruFoodDonation.

All donated funds go directly to St. Mary's Food Bank. A $1 donation would allow the non-profit to provide seven meals. The donator will also receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit through his or her Arizona tax return when completing the proper forms for donating to a qualifying charitable organization.

— $5 provides 35 nutritious meals for food-insecure children, families and seniors.

— $25 fills an emergency food box for a family living in poverty.

— $50 provides lunch for more than 300 low-income school children.

— $75 provides 144 meals in weekend food backpacks for children who don't have enough food at home.

— $100 feeds a low-income family of four for nearly two months (700 meals).

— $400 provides 2,800 meals to hungry families throughout Arizona.