Salisbury, North Carolina-based Food Lion and its foundation donated 158 million meals in 2022, an increase of 6 million meals over 2021.
Contributing to that total, Food Lion employees volunteered more than 17,000 hours, which equates to more than 5 million meals based on various organizations’ meal equivalent formulas.
The support comes at a time when Feeding America and local member food banks throughout Food Lion’s 10-state footprint are seeking volunteers to address a greater need for food assistance due to increased food prices, supply chain disruptions and diminished food donations.
According to Feeding America, more than 53 million people turned to food banks, food pantries and other private food assistance programs in 2021.
“Increasingly, our neighbors are counting on us, so we are doing everything we can to eliminate the difficult choices many have to make,” said Kevin Durkee, manager, Food Lion Feeds.
“Caring for the towns and cities we serve is core to everything we do, and we’re committed to fighting hunger and setting our neighbors up for success. In continuing our shared mission of addressing food insecurity, we are committed to our community partners’ cause and dedication.”
As part of that total, Food Lion Feeds provided more than 51 million meals through its food rescue program. Through this program, all 1,108 Food Lion stores distribute unsold, edible food that might otherwise go to waste to a local feeding agency.
Included in the 158 million meals, Food Lion Feeds helped provide nearly 28 million meals in partnership with customers through four annual in-store campaigns. Food Lion Feeds also provided more than $160,000 for disaster relief to support communities impacted by Hurricane Ian and recovery efforts from flooding in Eastern Kentucky.
The remaining of the 158 million meals were provided through a combination of product, financial and equipment donations; disaster relief and recovery efforts; capital campaign support for feeding agencies; and volunteer hours by employees.
Through Food Lion Feeds, it has helped to provide more than 1 billion meals to people since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025.
