SALISBURY, N.C., Sept. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Food Lion Feeds Apple Bag campaign is back for its 10th year, aiming to help nourish neighbors experiencing hunger and address food insecurity. Food Lion Feeds is partnering with its customers to help provide a minimum of 1 million meals* to neighbors facing hunger through its annual Food Lion Feeds Apple Bag campaign. Since the campaign began in 2014, customers have helped to provide more than 13 million meals** through the sale of specially marked apple bags and cash donations. The campaign runs from Sept. 13 – Oct. 3 and benefits Feeding America®, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, and local partner food banks throughout Food Lion’s 10-state operating area. Food Lion Feeds was founded in 2014 by Food Lion to address food insecurity in the towns and cities it serves.
The Apple Bag campaign is held in 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. According to Feeding America, 34 million people in the United States―including more than 9 million children―face hunger, with stark disparities persisting along racial and ethnic lines.
Supporting the effort is easy: customers can purchase specially marked apple bags or contribute cash donations while checking out in-store or online via Food Lion To Go. New this campaign, customers can use the digital keypads at checkout to donate a specific dollar amount or round up their purchase to support the effort.
Food Lion Feeds will help provide five meals for the sale of every bag to Feeding America and its partner food banks, up to 1 million meals. The total donation to each local food bank will be based on the number of eligible bagged apples sold in each food bank’s service area. Additionally, 100% of all cash donations will directly support the local Feeding America partner food bank connected to the Food Lion store where a customer contributes to the cause.
“Nourishing our neighbors and caring for our communities is a fundamental part of what we do at Food Lion,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. “By joining forces with our customers, we help provide meals for individuals and families experiencing hunger. We are so grateful for the support we receive from our customers every year, and every donation—no matter how small—adds up and helps us make even more of a meaningful impact on the towns and cities we serve.”
The Apple Bag campaign is one of many efforts Food Lion Feeds leads during Hunger Action Month. In addition to this campaign, Food Lion Feeds will remodel and stock the shelves of nearly 30 food pantries across its 10-state operating area through its annual event, The Great Pantry Makeover. During this 30-day effort, Food Lion associates volunteer for activities such as painting and cleaning pantries to installing shelving, freezers, coolers and other equipment to expand the capacity for fresh fruits, vegetables and other products. Additionally, 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 tackle 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.
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 apple bag campaign, $0.50 (monetary equivalent of five meals) from each bag purchase will be donated to Feeding America and partner food banks. Food Lion guarantees a minimum donation of $100,000 (monetary equivalent of 1 million meals) from Sept. 13 – Oct. 3, 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 committed to an America where no one is hungry. We support tens of millions of people who experience food insecurity to get the food and resources they say they need to thrive as part of a nationwide network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs. We also invest in innovative solutions to increase equitable access to nutritious food, advocate for legislation that improves food security and work to address factors that impact food security, such as health, cost of living and employment.
We partner with people experiencing food insecurity, policymakers, organizations, and supporters, united with them in a movement to end hunger. Visit FeedingAmerica.org to learn more.
| 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/b23d7664-b7cd-4399-982a-538bedd13c2d
