Food Lion launches orange bag campaign to address food insecurity
Food Lion has launched its three-weeklong Food Lion Feeds Orange Bag campaign to help address food insecurity.
Since the campaign began in 2019, customers have helped provide more than 7 million meals to neighbors in need through the sale of specially marked orange bags and cash donations, according to a news release.
The Salisbury, N.C.-based grocer’s campaign runs from Feb. 28 to March 19 and benefits Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, as well as local partner food banks throughout Food Lion’s 10-state operating area, the release said. Food Lion Feeds was founded in 2014 by Food Lion to address food insecurity in the towns and cities it serves.
To support the effort, customers can purchase specially marked orange bags or contribute cash donations while checking out in-store or online via Food Lion To Go. Customers can use the digital keypads at checkout to donate a specific dollar amount or round up their purchases 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 2 million meals, according to the release. The total donation to each local food bank will be based on the number of eligible bagged oranges sold in each food bank’s service area. Additionally, 100% of all cash donations will directly support Feeding America and its partner food banks, the release said.
Donations are based on the formula of every $1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local partner food banks. Through the orange bag campaign, 50 cents, or the monetary equivalent of five meals, from each bag purchase will be donated to Feeding America and partner food banks. Food Lion guarantees a minimum donation of $100,000, or the monetary equivalent of 1 million meals, from Feb. 28 to March 19, the release said.
“Our neighbors deserve access to nutritious food, so when our customers purchase a bag of oranges, they help nourish individuals and their families within their community who are experiencing hunger,” Kevin Durkee, manager for Food Lion Feeds, said in the release. “At Food Lion, we believe no one should have to choose between dinner and rent or gas and groceries. Working together, we help more families get the food they deserve, setting them up for success.”
Food Lion says the Orange Bag campaign is one of many efforts Food Lion Feeds leads to address food insecurity. In addition to this campaign, in November, Food Lion Feeds launched its fifth season of Score to Give More, during which it teamed with 54 collegiate basketball programs, including 16 women’s teams.
Through the collaboration, Food Lion Feeds helps to provide 100 meals, up to 30,000 meals per team, for every free throw made. The effort benefits Feeding America partner food banks throughout Food Lion’s 10-state operating area. The initiative is amplified during the CIAA and ACC basketball tournaments, when Food Lion Feeds presents checks to its community partner food banks benefiting from the meal donations. The amounts are based on the number of free throws made by each participating college, the release said.
Food Lion has helped to provide more than 1 billion meals to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025, the release said. Food Lion Feeds helps provide meals through a combination of product, financial and equipment donations; disaster relief and recovery efforts; capital campaign support for feeding agencies; and volunteer hours by associates, based on various meal equivalent formulas.
More information on Food Lion Feeds’ commitment to ending hunger is available at foodlion.com/feeds.
Food Lion is an omnichannel retailer with more than 82,000 associates across more than 1,100 stores throughout 10 southeastern and mid-Atlantic states. The grocer is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize.
