Jacksonville, Florida-based Southeastern Grocers has begun a community donation program to benefit more than 420 public schools throughout the Southeast. The three-week program continues the grocer’s commitment to support creative, inclusive environments for students to grow and thrive during the new school year.
Through Aug. 30, customers are invited to support their local schools by rounding up their grocery bill to the nearest dollar at checkout or by purchasing a reusable community bag for $2.99. Money raised from each community bag will be donated to the store’s local school to support teachers, staff and students in preparation for the school year.
“As inflationary pressures continue to build and impact our communities, we want to do our part to aid educators and families as they plan for the school year ahead,” said Raymond Rhee, chief people officer of Southeastern Grocers.
“We encourage our customers to join us in this effort by rounding up their total grocery bill at checkout to support their neighborhood schools and enrich student programs to cultivate positive learning environments where young minds and hearts can thrive. We are also listening to our customers who are having to make the difficult decision to cut back on spending to cover expenses for the upcoming school year. That’s why we are offering additional ways our customers can save on groceries and supplies they need most as students head back to class.”
According to the National Retail Federation, more than one-third of consumers said they are cutting back in other spending areas to cover the cost of items for the upcoming school year as inflation continues to rise.
To help combat inflation pressures, Southeastern Grocers is offering several savings opportunities to help families, teachers and staff save on back-to-school needs. Through Sept. 6, customers who purchase $35 in participating products can earn a $10 digital coupon from the company’s apps.
The grocer recently introduced a “Break from Hunger” program to provide accessible, healthy meal options to ensure no child goes hungry.
Continuing through Labor Day, customers and employees ages 17 and younger can purchase a prepared “Student Summer Lunch Pack” meal box for $2. Customers can also request a “Student Summer Lunch Pack” featuring a ham or turkey sandwich, chips, a fresh fruit item and a bottle of water.
The grocer’s foundation will donate $1 to Feeding America for each purchase of a “Break from Hunger” meal with the goal to donate $100,000 into the community in partnership with Feeding America network food banks.
In 2021, the grocer and SEG Gives Foundation presented 400 schools with a $352,000 donation to align with the Foundation’s support of causes that work to strengthen and improve the lives of its neighbors. Additionally, SEG donated $5.5 million to support those in need through partnerships with more than 5,000 organizations, hosted more than 14 mobile food pantries and provided more than 17 million meals to help fight hunger.
