SALISBURY, N.C., July 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In partnership with Food Lion customers and participating vendor partners, Food Lion Feeds helped provide more than 17.5 million meals* to nourish neighbors and their children, surpassing the annual Summers Without Hunger campaign’s goal of 16 million meals. Food Lion Feeds was founded in 2014 by Food Lion to address food insecurity in the towns and cities it serves.
According to Feeding America®, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, an estimated 32 million meals are needed to support children and families throughout the summer months. The Summers Without Hunger campaign, in partnership with Feeding America and 33 local partner food banks across Food Lion’s 10-state operating area, aids in granting meal accessibility to neighbors experiencing hunger.
“Households with children have higher rates of food insecurity, which can make summer an extremely difficult time for the millions of families that rely on school meal plans,” said Lauren Biedron, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Feeding America. “We appreciate partners like Food Lion, who are committed to ensuring children have the nutrition they need to learn and reach their full potential. Together we can help make summers easier for families across the country.”
During the Summers Without Hunger campaign, which took place from May 31 – June 27, Food Lion customers had the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children and families in their local community by making a $5 cash donation at checkout in-store or online through Food Lion To Go. All customer donations were matched by 10 Food Lion suppliers: Campbell’s, Coca-Cola, Frito Lay, Gatorade, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Kraft Heinz, Mondelez, Pepsi Beverages and Unilever, doubling the impact, up to $1 million.
Since the Food Lion Feeds Summers Without Hunger campaign began in 2020, customers and participating vendor partners have played a significant role in helping provide more than 57 million meals** through cash donations to neighbors experiencing hunger.
“At Food Lion, we believe that no child should have to go hungry,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. “We also believe that their families shouldn’t have to skip meals to feed their children. Through our Summers Without Hunger Campaign, Food Lion Feeds is committed to ensuring that families in our communities have access to nutritious food, setting them up for success in life.”
In addition to customers’, suppliers’ and Food Lion’s donations, Food Lion associates also volunteer throughout the month at several local Feeding America partner food banks to help distribute food to neighbors facing hunger.
Through Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion has helped to provide more than 1 billion meals** to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals** by 2025.
For more information on Food Lion Feeds’ commitment to ending hunger, visit foodlion.com/feeds.
*$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local partner food banks. Through the Summers Without Hunger campaign, Food Lion guaranteed a minimum donation of $100,000 (monetary equivalent of 1 million meals) from May 31 – June 27, 2023.
**Food Lion Feeds helps provide meals through a combination of product, financial and equipment donations; disaster relief and recovery efforts; capital campaign support for feeding agencies; and volunteer hours by associates, based on various meal equivalent formulas.
About Food Lion
Food Lion is an omnichannel retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors during the moments that matter most. More than 82,000 associates across 1,100+ stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. Through its ‘Count on me’ culture, Food Lion fosters a sense of belonging for all associates, promoting a diverse and inclusive environment that has supported LGBTQ+ equality for nearly two decades. Food Lion is the only company in the country to be named an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for 22 consecutive years. It also pioneered a food rescue program to support food-insecure neighbors. Through Food Lion Feeds, the retailer has donated more than 1 billion meals to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. Founded and based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com.
About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.2 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
| CONTACT: | Food Lion Media Relations | |
| 704-245-3317 | ||
| publicrelationsteam@foodlion.com |
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/33a49382-1a1f-4578-924a-e6e9e48dafeb
