Food Lion Feeds, the philanthropic arm of Food Lion, will participate in hunger relief efforts during Hunger Action Month, which runs throughout September. Started in 2008 by Feeding America, Hunger Action Month seeks to ameliorate the hunger crisis domestically and globally.
Feeding America said Wednesday that this year's campaign will focus on the impact of food on people’s lives, demonstrating how nourishing one’s body can lead someone to thrive rather than just survive.
"Access to nutritious food is essential for each of us to reach our full potential and reminds us that we can all help to create positive change in our communities to ensure that no one goes hungry in America,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, in a statement. “Now is the time for us to come together to elevate the voices of people who experience food insecurity and inspire everyone to join the movement to end hunger."
Food Lion Feeds is leading myriad efforts in the fight against hunger. Today begins its fifth Sack to Give Back program, for which it is teaming up with more than 30 higher education facilities to provide 1,000 meals to a local Feeding America for every quarterback sack made by participating schools' football teams, Kevin Durkee, manager at Food Lion Feeds, told SFA News Daily.
Durkee also outlined an effort called The Great Pantry Makeover to remodel and stock the shelves of 27 food pantries across Food Lion’s 10-state footprint. Since 2015, Food Lion Feeds has renovated over 280 food pantries.
Between September 13 and October 3, the company will also facilitate its annual Food Lion Feeds Apple Bag campaign, which provides meals to local food banks funded through the sale of marked apple bags and donations.
From September 11 to December 22, Food Lion Feeds will collaborate with North Carolina Campus Engagement wherein 15 participating schools will accumulate points through engaging in activities focused on addressing food insecurity. Cash prizes totaling $25,000 will be awarded to winning campuses.
SFA News Daily also spoke with Durkee about the grocer’s donation efforts throughout the year.
Have you included suppliers in these efforts?
Yes, we partner with suppliers for our annual Food Lion Feeds Summers Without Hunger campaign. All customer donations for the 2023 campaign 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.
In addition to customers’, suppliers’, and Food Lion’s donations, Food Lion associates volunteered throughout June at several local Feeding America partner food banks to help distribute food to neighbors experiencing hunger.
Another long-time supplier supporting our efforts is Robinson Fresh from Duplin County, North Carolina. In May, we presented them with The Grand Lion for Good Vendor Award at the Food Lion Feeds Feedys Awards Ceremony. This award, given to a Food Lion supplier, recognizes outstanding commitment to partnering with and participating in Food Lion Feeds’ hunger-relief projects. Since Food Lion Feeds launched in 2014, Robinson Fresh has been the sole vendor for the Food Lion Feeds Apple Bag campaign.
What are the ways you engage shoppers when helping these communities?
We’ve helped provide more than 1 billion meals to individuals and families since 2014 and are committed to donating 1.5 billion meals by 2025.
Because the philanthropic platform is a key pillar of Food Lion’s brand, we build an emotional connection with our neighbors who have helped provide more than 95 million meals through four annual in-store campaigns since Food Lion Feeds was established in 2014.
Through our in-store campaigns, customers and associates help provide meals to a local food bank each time customers purchase specially marked bagged gala apples or oranges. In addition, Food Lion Feeds donates additional meals through its Summers Without Hunger and Holidays Without Hunger campaigns.
How close is the company to its 1.5 billion meals by 2025 goal?
We’ve helped provide more than 1 billion meals to individuals and families since 2014 and are committed to donating 1.5 billion meals by 2025.
By working together, Food Lion’s customers, associates, and Food Lion Feeds helped nourish neighbors in 2022 with more than 158 million meals, an increase of 6 million meals over 2021.
Contributing to that meal total, Food Lion associates, each dedicated to alleviating food insecurity, volunteered more than 17,000 hours, which equates to more than 5 million meals based on various beneficiary organizations’ meal equivalent formulas.
How does Food Lion Feeds characterize Food Lion’s general mission?
Every day, our goal is to nourish families to set them up for success in life. Caring for our neighbors is woven into our purpose and beliefs; it’s who we are.
Beyond providing meals or volunteering, Food Lion Feeds is committed to creating sustainable resources to address the systemic issues of food insecurity. By giving grant funding to its partnership agencies–Feeding America and local partner member food banks, Operation Homefront, Meals on Wheels America, and No Kid Hungry–they are a catalyst for change.
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Image: Food Lion