Food Lion Feeds and Local Colleges Make Meaningful Impact to Tackle Hunger

Sack to Give Back partnership helps provide 851,000 meals to increase access to nutritious food


SALISBURY, N.C., Dec. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of Food Lion Feeds’ partnership with 36 collegiate football teams, the teamwork helped provide 851,000 meals* to nourish neighbors experiencing hunger and make a meaningful impact. Through this collaboration to address food insecurity, Food Lion Feeds helped provide 1,000 meals* (up to 30,000 meals per team) for every quarterback sack made by the participating institution. The effort benefits Feeding America® 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.

“Our partnership with collegiate football programs is one example of the power of collective action and how our efforts make a meaningful impact in the towns and cities we serve,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. “By working together to help provide meals, we tackle food insecurity and ensure our neighbors and their families have access to fresh and nutritious food, setting them up for success in life.”

James Madison University led the season with 45 quarterback sacks, resulting in 45,000 meals for Blue Ridge Area Food Bank in Verona, VA. In addition, Food Lion Feeds also provided 2,000 meals for every quarterback sack made at the ACC Championship game between Florida State and Louisville on Dec. 2. As a result, 22,000 meals were provided to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina in Charlotte, NC.

“We are truly grateful for incredible community partners like Food Lion. With guest demand for food assistance on the rise, this support couldn’t come at a better time,” said Michael McKee, CEO, Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.

In 2023, Food Lion Feeds’ Sack to Give Back program expanded from 33 to 36 teams across Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. It benefited 19 Feeding America member food banks serving the communities where each school is located. Since 2019, the Sack to Give Back program has resulted in more than 3 million meals provided to local food banks across Food Lion’s 10-state footprint.

The Sack to Give Back campaign is one of many efforts that Food Lion Feeds leads in partnership with colleges. In addition to this collegiate effort, Food Lion Feeds also teams up with universities for its Score to Give More campaign, providing 100 meals* (up to 30,000 meals per school) for every free throw made by the participating institution.

The participating schools, season sacks and correlating food banks that benefit from each school’s efforts are:

SchoolSchool LocationSacks / Meals ProvidedFood Bank Benefitting from Meal Donations
Appalachian State UniversityBoone, NC30 sacks / 30,000 meals providedSecond Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC
Bluefield State UniversityBluefield, WV16 sacks / 16,000 meals providedMountaineer Food Bank
Bowie State UniversityBowie, MD24 sacks / 24,000 meals providedMaryland Food Bank
Catawba UniversitySalisbury, NC11 sacks / 11,000 meals providedSecond Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
Clemson UniversityClemson, SC30 sacks / 30,000 meals providedSecond Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
Coastal Carolina UniversityConway, SC20 sacks / 20,000 meals providedLowcountry Food Bank
East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC18 sacks / 18,000 meals providedFood Bank of Central & Eastern NC
Elizabeth City State UniversityElizabeth City, NC17 sacks / 17,000 meals providedFood Bank of the Albemarle
Elon UniversityElon, NC28 sacks / 28,000 meals providedSecond Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC
Fayetteville State UniversityFayetteville, NC26 sacks / 26,000 meals provided + 8,000 meals**Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast NC
Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA24 sacks / 24,000 meals providedAmerica’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia
James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, VA45 sacks / 45,000 meals providedBlue Ridge Area Food Bank
Johnson C. Smith UniversityCharlotte, NC18 sacks / 18,000 meals providedSecond Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA25 sacks / 25,000 meals providedBlue Ridge Area Food Bank
Lincoln UniversityOxford, PA14 sacks / 14,000 meals providedFood Bank of Delaware
Livingstone CollegeSalisbury, NC17 sacks / 17,000 meals providedSecond Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State UniversityGreensboro, NC15 sacks / 15,000 meals providedSecond Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC
North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC30 sacks / 30,000 meals providedFood Bank of Central & Eastern NC
Old Dominion UniversityNorfolk, VA15 sacks / 15,000 meals providedFoodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore
Shaw UniversityRaleigh, NC12 sacks / 12,000 meals providedInter-Faith Food Shuttle
South Carolina State UniversityOrangeburg, SC20 sacks / 20,000 meals providedHarvest Hope Food Bank
St. Augustine’s UniversityRaleigh, NC17 sacks / 17,000 meals providedFood Bank of Central & Eastern NC
Tennessee Tech UniversityCookeville, TN30 sacks / 30,000 meals providedSecond Harvest Food Bank of Middle TN
Towson UniversityTowson, MD29 sacks / 29,000 meals providedMaryland Food Bank
University of DelawareNewark, DE18 sacks / 18,000 meals providedFood Bank of Delaware
University of MarylandAdelphi, MD30 sacks / 30,000 meals providedCapital Area Food Bank
University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC27 sacks / 27,000 meals providedInter-Faith Food Shuttle
University of North Carolina at PembrokePembroke, NC30 sacks / 30,000 meals providedSecond Harvest Food Bank of Southeast NC
University of RichmondRichmond, VA30 sacks / 30,000 meals providedFeed More
University of VirginiaCharlottesville, VA11 sacks / 11,000 meals providedBlue Ridge Area Food Bank
Virginia State UniversityPetersburg, VA21 sacks / 21,000 meals providedFeed More
Virginia Tech UniversityBlacksburg, VA30 sacks / 30,000 meals providedFeeding Southwest Virginia
Virginia Union UniversityRichmond, VA19 sacks / 19,000 meals provided + 10,000 meals*Feed More
Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC23 sacks / 23,000 meals providedSecond Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC
William and Mary CollegeWilliamsburg, VA25 sacks / 25,000 meals providedVirginia Peninsula Foodbank
Winston-Salem State UniversityWinston-Salem, NC16 sacks / 16,000 meals providedSecond Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC

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. The total meals provided for the season will increase due to upcoming playoffs, championships or bowl games.

**Food Lion Feeds provides up to 2,000 meals for every quarterback sack made in a playoff, championship or bowl game.

Editor’s note: The photos of check presentations do not represent the final results; they only recognize performance to date when the check presentation occurred.

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/141e0bcc-9e9d-4a8e-994d-dd380bbb3432


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