Jacksonville, Florida-based Southeastern Grocers is celebrating its employees and communities during Hispanic Heritage Month by hosting educational events and cooking demonstrations honoring Hispanic culture all month long.
The grocer asked its Hispanic employee and allies resource group, Pa’lante, to help plan festivities focused at its store support center and stores.
“At Southeastern Grocers, we celebrate our diverse employees and customers who are the fabric of our local communities,” said Raymond Rhee, chief people officer.
“Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to commemorate the histories and cultures of our Hispanic neighbors and acknowledge their accomplishments through education and immersion. We’re excited to celebrate Hispanic heritage with our customers and associates and elevate those with Hispanic backgrounds, all while developing a deeper understanding of the cultures that make our local communities unique.”
The planned events include:
- Virtual cooking demonstrations to prepare turkey and mushroom empanadas de picadillo with MasterChef Latino winner Lauren Arboleda.
- Fireside chat on “Reinventing Allyship: Understanding the Hispanic Culture to Transform our Workplace” with author Valeria Aloe and Southeastern Grocers’ CIO Todd Renaud.
- Open house for employees and their families to experience Hispanic cultures through traditional food and activities.
- Spanish 101 classes to learn conversational Spanish.
Customers in Miami are invited to two live cooking demonstration events where chefs will create traditional Latin American dishes, including ropa vieja, shrimp mofongo, mojo chicken and roast pork. The first 50 customers at each event will receive a reusable grocery bag filled with Southeastern Grocers’ dry ingredients and a $25 gift card for fresh items to recreate the meals at home.
Additionally, Southeastern Grocers, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, is accepting applications from nonprofits for its Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant program. Organizations supporting underserved populations throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi may apply online at seggives.com/grantapp through Sept. 30 to be considered for a Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity grant ranging from $5,000 to $25,000.
