Salisbury, North Carolina-based Food Lion Feeds has donated $1 million to grow partnerships with Feeding America and No Kid Hungry.
The funding will support both organizations in meeting the increased demand for food assistance by building capacity so more meals can be delivered to families throughout the retailer’s 10-state footprint.
“Our partnerships with Feeding America and No Kid Hungry are incredibly meaningful, and we are grateful for the opportunity to deepen our shared mission of helping to provide meals for our neighbors and school children who are facing hunger,” said Kevin Durkee, manager of Food Lion Feeds.
“Together, we continue to address food insecurity in the towns and cities we serve by funding programs that provide access to fresh and nutritious food, which is critical with the heightened need.”
As part of this donation, the foundation is providing $750,000 to Feeding America to help those facing hunger in the new year. These member food banks partner with agencies that play a role in the distribution and access to food for children and families impacted by food insecurity.
“Hunger touches every community in the U.S. Feeding America estimates that at least 53 million people turned to food banks, food pantries and other private food assistance programs in 2021,” said Casey Marsh, chief development officer for Feeding America.
“We are grateful for Food Lion’s partnership and commitment to member food banks and agency partners by helping to provide additional food and resources that communities need to thrive.”
It also donated $250,000 to support No Kid Hungry, a national campaign committed to ending childhood hunger. Since one in eight children, or nine million children, in the U.S. lives with hunger, the funds will help support school and community meal programs aimed to help ensure that all children have access to three nourishing meals a day.
“Food Lion Feeds has been a valued partner to No Kid Hungry during some of the most critical years of our work to date,” said Diana Hovey, SVP of corporate partnerships at Share Our Strength, the organization behind the No Kid Hungry campaign.
“As families’ basic costs rise and schools – which are so instrumental to feeding kids – contend with supply chain and labor challenges, Food Lion Feeds’ support is helping us ensure crucial meal programs are equipped with the needed resources.”
The $250,000 in funding is in addition to the $1 million it donated to No Kid Hungry since 2019. Since collaborating with No Kid Hungry, the foundation has contributed funding that can help provide children with more than 12 million meals. This partnership has supported grants to 55 school districts, community organizations and additional distribution programs.
Through its foundation, it has helped to provide more than 1 billion meals since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. For more information on its commitment to fight hunger, visit foodlion.com/feeds.
