Carlisle, Pennsylvania-based The Giant Co., together with its customers, has raised more than $1.4 million toward its Feeding School Kids initiative, addressing the issue of childhood hunger throughout local public school districts in the communities it serves.
The total donation was announced March 16 at DuBois Area Middle School in DuBois, Pennsylvania, as the company presented the DuBois Area School District with a donation of more than $8,400 and picnic tables. Team members also volunteered by preparing snack bags for students.
“The link between good nutrition and a child’s ability to learn is crucial for their success in school; kids have a hard time focusing on academics if they are hungry,” said Jessica Groves, community impact manager for The Giant Co. “Thanks to our generous customers, through the Feeding School Kids initiative, we can directly impact our local school food programs and do our part toward helping to eliminate hunger for the youngest members of our community.”
From Jan. 3 through Feb. 28, customers at Giant, Martin’s and Giant Heirloom Market stores were asked to round up their grocery purchases to the nearest dollar or convert their Choice points into a donation for their local public schools’ food programs.
The Giant Co. also donated $250,000 to the program. Through the Feeding School Kids initiative, school districts will be able to use the funds to support meal programs such as covering outstanding student meal debt, expanding food distribution programs, creating on-campus food pantries and supplying extra weekend meals.
“While the District is fortunate to be able to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students, we realize that two meals is not enough nourishment for our neediest students,” said Wendy Benton, superintendent of DuBois Area School District. “Supplemental food and donations though The Giant Co. help us to ensure that our students have access to nutritious food outside of the school day. Together, we can meet the nutritional needs of our students and ensure that no child is hungry in the DuBois Area School District.”
The top 15 school districts receiving funds from the Feeding School Kids initiative include:
- Allentown School District, Pennsylvania – $16,701;
- Berkeley County Schools, West Virginia – $19,309;
- Bethlehem Area School District, Pennsylvania – $18,949;
- Carlisle Area School District, Pennsylvania – $18,277;
- Centennial School District, Pennsylvania – $18,012;
- Central Bucks School District, Pennsylvania – $21,600;
- Central Dauphin School District, Pennsylvania – $21,489;
- Frederick County Public Schools, Maryland – $24,687;
- Mechanicsburg Area School District, Pennsylvania – $15,836;
- North Penn School District, Pennsylvania – $23,263;
- The School District of Haverford Township, Pennsylvania – $19,855;
- The School District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – $95,252;
- State College Area School District, Pennsylvania – $19,427;
- Washington County Public Schools, Maryland – $23,100; and
- West Chester Area School District, Pennsylvania – $48,782.
Funds donated by customers benefitted the local school district in the community in which they were given, and The Giant Co.’s matching funds were awarded based on need, as determined by the number of students in the district who receive free or reduced meals.
For more information on The Giant Co.’s Feeding School Kids initiative, visit giantfoodstores.com.
