Food Lion Feeds donated the equivalent of 805,000 meals to college students through its annual Sack to Give Back program during the 2025 football season, topping the previous year’s total of 793,000 meals.
Thirty-four collegiate football teams participated in the program, which provided the equivalent of 1,000 meals for every quarterback sack recorded during the season, up to 30,000 meals per school. Donations benefited campus food pantries or, where on-campus facilities were unavailable, nearby Feeding America partner food banks serving college communities.
“At Food Lion, we know hunger doesn’t follow a schedule,” said Kevin Durkee, manager of Food Lion Feeds.
“As students return to campus for a new semester, we want them to be able to focus on their education instead of where their next meal will come from. We are grateful our Sack to Give Back program strengthens campus food pantries and helps students thrive.”
Ten schools reached the maximum 30,000-meal donation threshold – East Carolina University, Elon University, Fayetteville State University, Gardner-Webb University, Livingstone College, Old Dominion University, South Carolina State University, Tennessee Tech University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of Virginia. Virginia earned an additional 2,000 meals for quarterback sacks made in championship games.
Six-Year Program Totals 4.6 Million Meals
Since launching in 2019, Sack to Give Back has provided the equivalent of more than 4.6 million meals to students and families. The program operates across Food Lion’s 10-state footprint covering the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Participating schools ranged from North Carolina A&T University and Virginia Tech to smaller institutions like Bluefield State University and Catawba College. Appalachian State University contributed 28 sacks worth 28,000 meals to the Mountaineer Food Hub. James Madison University recorded 28 sacks benefiting the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.
Food Lion Feeds also partners with universities through its Score to Give More campaign, which provides the equivalent of 100 meals for every free throw made during basketball season, up to 30,000 meals per participating team. The dual programs target college student food insecurity during both fall and winter sports seasons.
The grocer operates more than 1,100 stores across 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states with more than 82,000 associates. Food Lion Feeds, founded in 2014, has donated more than 1.5 billion meals since its inception and committed to donating 3 billion meals by 2032.
Food Lion is a division of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. arm of Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize. The parent company also operates Giant Food, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop banners in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
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