A local convenient store chain is stepping up to the plate to help Meals on Wheels programs throughout the state. Wilson Farms is holding a month long fundraiser to help feed those that are homebound. Our Brad Vivacqua reports.

NEW YORK STATE -- The Wilson Farms Neighborhood Store chain has about 200 locations across New York State. At all of those locations including here in Onondaga County, you can purchase a "Step Up To The Plate" plates for $1. Your donation will go directly to your local Meals on Wheels agency.

If you purchase a plate at one of the Wilson Farms stores in Syracuse, your donation will go to help the Syracuse Meals on Wheels program. Executive Director Mason Kaufman says the local branch serves about 1,000 homebound individuals and about 200,000 meals each year.

The funds will help the agency to buy food supplies and make it much easier for the program to help serve those in need. Kaufman says this program has helped the agency in a big way in the last few years.

"We have to fund raise for about thirty percent of what the meal cost is for us and that thirty percent is through our fund raising and through the community support, so every dollar that people donate is a dollar that they're going to be supporting meals to a homebound person,” said Mason Kaufman, Syracuse Meals on Wheels Executive Director.

This campaign will run through November 28th at all Wilson Farms, Sugarcreek, and Wilson Farms Express locations.

The program has helped raise more than $155,000 for Meals on Wheels programs since 2004. For more information about how to find a Wilson Farms store, you can visit www.wilsonfarms.com .