The Save Mart Companies and Keurig Dr Pepper raised more than $650,000 for local food banks across California and Western Nevada through their Friends Feeding Friends holiday hunger relief campaign, the Modesto, California-based grocery chain announced Jan. 26.
The campaign combined more than $533,000 in shopper donations with $120,000 in corporate contributions. The Save Mart Companies and Keurig Dr Pepper each contributed $60,000, providing critical support to families facing food insecurity during and after the holiday season.
“Friends Feeding Friends demonstrates what can happen when we all come together around a shared responsibility to care for one another,” said Donovan Ford, SVP and chief operations officer at The Save Mart Companies.
“This campaign represents The Save Mart Companies’ longstanding commitment to serving as a trusted partner within the communities we operate. Throughout the holiday season, our shoppers showed extraordinary generosity, and with the incredible support of Keurig Dr Pepper, we more than doubled last year’s total amount raised toward hunger relief across our communities.”
Running from Nov. 5-Jan. 1, the campaign invited shoppers at all Save Mart, Lucky and FoodMaxx locations to add a $5 or $10 Pantry Pack donation at checkout. Throughout the campaign, The Save Mart Companies and Keurig Dr Pepper each contributed $1,000 per day for 60 days, amplifying customer participation and expanding the reach of the program.
Donations collected during the first phase were distributed to food banks in mid-December, ensuring support ahead of the holidays. Additional distributions are scheduled for February. Every dollar raised at a local store went directly back to the community where it was donated.
“Friends Feeding Friends underscores the power of collaboration—showing what can be achieved when companies, customers and communities come together in support of local hunger relief,” said Taylor Marcus, business unit general manager West at Keurig Dr Pepper.
“We’re honored to work alongside The Save Mart Companies to turn everyday purchases into meaningful support for local food banks serving families across California and Western Nevada.”
Shopper participation was energized by friendly competition among store teams throughout the campaign. The Save Mart store in Sparks, Nevada, was named the overall Friends Feeding Friends champion, earning the Golden Cart Trophy after a close finish. The Save Mart in Galt, California, was recognized as December’s top-performing store with customers donating almost 2,000 Pantry Packs in a single month.
“We are incredibly grateful to our loyal customers and community members for their contributions and proud of our team for their energy and effort toward Friends Feeding Friends and hunger relief,” said Angel Scurry, assistant store manager at the Save Mart Sparks store.
“This campaign wasn’t just about donations at the register – it was about conversations, connections, and reminding people that small acts of generosity can add up to something truly meaningful for families right here in our community.”
Stores celebrated progress throughout the campaign with in-store recognition, weekly results tracking and community storytelling that highlighted the impact of shopper generosity for local food banks and the families they serve.
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