Food Lion Feeds Renovates Food Pantries for Sustainable, Impactful Solutions

SALISBURY, N.C., Sept. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Food Lion Feeds is remodeling and stocking the shelves of 27 partner food pantries across its operating area to provide sustainable and impactful solutions to support their work to expand access to nutritional food and address food insecurity. As part of its annual event, The Great Pantry Makeover, Food Lion Feeds will provide more than 850 volunteer hours in its largest associate volunteer initiative. It will also donate more than $310,000, equivalent to 3.1 million meals*. Food Lion Feeds was founded in 2014 by Food Lion to address food insecurity in the towns and cities it serves.

The Great Pantry Makeover takes place every September to align with Hunger Action Month, a time when Food Lion Feeds deepens its extensive existing relationship with Feeding America®. The partnership highlights the impact food can have on a person’s life and inspires action to end hunger within their communities. Since 2015, Food Lion Feeds has renovated or supported more than 280 food pantries through The Great Pantry Makeover.

“Through Food Lion Feeds, we nourish our communities by identifying and developing relationships with our partner food banks,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. “At Food Lion, giving back to our communities is as meaningful as serving our customers. Our associates believe in the value of volunteer work. By being partners in action, our volunteer Food Lion associates offer immediate and long-term solutions to address food insecurity in the towns and cities we serve.”

Now in its ninth year, Food Lion associates support these local efforts by volunteering to complete pantry improvements. During this 30-day effort, Food Lion associates will volunteer for activities such as painting and cleaning pantries or installing shelving, freezers, coolers and other equipment to expand the capacity for fresh fruits, vegetables and other products. Significant renovations include a client-choice pantry, increasing capacity for existing food pantry services and expanding facilities to serve more neighbors experiencing hunger. In addition to providing transformative solutions to address critical needs for the partner feeding agencies, Food Lion associates will stock the pantry shelves with nutritious food. 

The Great Pantry Makeover is one of many efforts Food Lion Feeds leads during Hunger Action Month. In addition to this campaign, Food Lion Feeds launched its fifth season of Sack to Give Back, teaming up with more than 30 colleges and universities to help nourish neighbors experiencing hunger. Through this collaborative and proactive approach to tackling food insecurity, Food Lion Feeds will provide 1,000 meals (up to 30,000 meals per school) for every quarterback sack made by the participating institution to each school’s local Feeding America partner food bank. Additionally, in partnership with customers, Food Lion will help provide meals to neighbors experiencing hunger through its annual Food Lion Feeds Apple Bag campaign from Sept. 13 – Oct. 3. The Apple Bag campaign benefits Feeding America and local partner member food banks.

Food Lion Feeds is providing the following pantries with makeovers:

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.

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.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7cd71a84-2f4a-4b62-a1e3-3538be9ccb85