The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation awarded more than $1.1 million in hunger-relief grants to 264 organizations during the spring/summer grant cycle.
The grants support the efforts of community feeding partners to provide food and nutritional education. Since its inception in 2001, the foundation has distributed nearly $23 million across Food Lion’s 10-state operating area.
“Nourishing the communities we serve is at the heart of everything we do at Food Lion,” said Natasha Brinegar, Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation president and Food Lion’s VP of category management, meat and seafood.
“Through the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation, we help address food insecurity by investing in local food banks. These grants help our partners provide nourishment for hungry neighbors and education around nutrition – helping to combat hunger at the root and truly making a difference in people’s lives.”
The grants help food banks meet the immediate need to feed the hungry. They also provide resources and education, teaching people budgeting, meal planning, basic nutrition and cooking techniques, helping to foster healthier lifestyles and curb the cycle of hunger.
The foundation is operated by a volunteer board of directors comprised of Food Lion employees from different areas of the company.
Through grants provided by the foundation, partnerships with local and national feeding partners and donations made by customers, Food Lion Feeds has provided the equivalent of more than 1.5 billion meals to people since 2014.
Food Lion Feeds efforts are multi-faceted providing product; financial and equipment donations; disaster relief grants; capital campaign support for feeding agencies; as well as donating volunteer hours by associates. Early this year, Food Lion Feeds set a goal to double its impact to date, committing to provide a total of 3 billion meals by 2032.
The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation holds two grant cycles each year. The grant application deadline for the fall/winter cycle is Sept. 18 and can be found online. Grants will be awarded in December.
Nonprofits are eligible for grants if affiliated with Feeding America or the United Way. Organizations are eligible to apply for grants every 12 months.
[RELATED: Food Lion Feeds’ Summer Campaign Focuses On Reducing Child Hunger]