More than 13 million meals donated through Apple Bag campaign to address food insecurity
SALISBURY, NC – The Food Lion Feeds Apple Bag campaign is back for its 10th year, aiming to help nourish neighbors experiencing hunger and address food insecurity.
Food Lion Feeds is partnering with its customers to help provide a minimum of 1 million meals* to neighbors facing hunger through its annual Food Lion Feeds Apple Bag campaign. Since the campaign began in 2014, customers have helped to provide more than 13 million meals** through the sale of specially marked apple bags and cash donations. The campaign runs from Sept. 13 – Oct. 3 and benefits Feeding America®, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, and local partner food banks throughout Food Lion’s 10-state operating area. Food Lion Feeds was founded in 2014 by Food Lion to address food insecurity in the towns and cities it serves.
The Apple Bag campaign is held in September to align with Hunger Action Month, a time when Food Lion Feeds deepens its extensive existing partnership with Feeding America to highlight the impact food can have on a person’s life and inspire action to end hunger. According to Feeding America, 34 million people in the United States―including more than 9 million children―face hunger, with stark disparities persisting along racial and ethnic lines.
Supporting the effort is easy: customers can purchase specially marked apple bags or contribute cash donations while checking out in-store or online via Food Lion To Go. New this campaign, customers can use the digital keypads at checkout to donate a specific dollar amount or round up their purchase to support the effort.
Food Lion Feeds will help provide five meals for the sale of every bag to Feeding America and its partner food banks, up to 1 million meals. The total donation to each local food bank will be based on the number of eligible bagged apples sold in each food bank’s service area. Additionally, 100% of all cash donations will directly support the local Feeding America partner food bank connected to the Food Lion store where a customer contributes to the cause.
“Nourishing our neighbors and caring for our communities is a fundamental part of what we do at Food Lion,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. “By joining forces with our customers, we help provide meals for individuals and families experiencing hunger. We are so grateful for the support we receive from our customers every year, and every donation—no matter how small—adds up and helps us make even more of a meaningful impact on the towns and cities we serve.”
The Apple Bag campaign is one of many efforts Food Lion Feeds leads during Hunger Action Month. In addition to this campaign, Food Lion Feeds will remodel and stock the shelves of nearly 30 food pantries across its 10-state operating area through its annual event, The Great Pantry Makeover. During this 30-day effort, Food Lion associates volunteer for activities such as painting and cleaning pantries to installing shelving, freezers, coolers and other equipment to expand the capacity for fresh fruits, vegetables and other products. Additionally, Food Lion Feeds launched its fifth season of Sack to Give Back in August, teaming up with 35 colleges and universities to help nourish neighbors experiencing hunger. Through this collaborative and proactive approach to tackle food insecurity, Food Lion Feeds will provide 1,000 meals (up to 30,000 meals per school) for every quarterback sack made by the participating institution to each school’s local Feeding America® partner food bank.
