School’s Out: Food Lion Feeds Launches Annual Campaign to Provide Meals to Families This Summer

SALISBURY, N.C., May 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Food Lion Feeds’ fourth annual Summers Without Hunger campaign aims to address food insecurity by helping to provide 16 million meals* this summer. Through the campaign, which runs May 31 – June 27, Food Lion customers have 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 will be generously 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. 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 help children and families during the summer months. The Summers Without Hunger campaign helps provide access to meals to neighbors facing hunger in partnership with Feeding America and the 33 local partner food banks throughout Food Lion’s 10-state operating area.

“Children and their families often experience hunger during the summer when schools are closed and meals are not provided,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. “At Food Lion, nourishing our neighbors and addressing food insecurity is at the core of everything we do in the towns and cities we serve. We sincerely appreciate our vendors and customers for partnering with us to ensure we provide nourishment and make a difference in the lives of young children.”

Since the Food Lion Feeds Summers Without Hunger campaign began in 2020, customers have helped to provide nearly 40 million meals to neighbors facing hunger.

In addition to customers’, suppliers’ and Food Lion’s donations, Food Lion associates will 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 donating 1.5 billion meals** by 2025.

For more information on Food Lion Feeds’ commitment to fight hunger, visit www.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 guarantees 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.
 

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bd46f5e6-2367-401c-aa7f-cf932fc42e47