Food Lion Associates Restock Local Pantries This Week to Fight Hunger on CIAA Campuses

SALISBURY, N.C. — One in five students on college campuses is food insecure – lacking reliable access to sufficient quantities of food – which can have a devastating impact on their ability to achieve academic success. As part of its ongoing efforts to end hunger in local communities, Food Lion Feeds will donate more than 44,000 meals to four Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) colleges and universities this week.

The effort comes at a time following the holiday season when food donations are generally lower and pantry shelves are at risk of being empty. Food Lion associates will restock school pantry shelves to help them maintain their services and provide healthy meals for students.

"We want students to focus on learning and not worry about whether they have enough healthy food to eat. That's why we are so proud to continue our partnership with these local school food pantries in the towns and cities we serve," said Emma Inman, director of external communications and community relations at Food Lion.

Food Lion associates will work with local college officials to provide Food Lion branded non-perishable meals to pantries at Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) Winston-Salem State University, (WSSU), Livingstone College (LC) and Virginia State University (VSU).

The company partnered with JCSU and LC to open its first college pantries in 2015 after the schools notified Food Lion of the growing concern of on-campus food insecurity issues among their students. Since that time, food insecurity on college campuses has grown to become a national issue.

Details about the events are as follows:

Feb. 22 – Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, N.C.

Local Food Lion associates and JCSU students will restock the school's pantry inside the George E. Davis House located on the campus at 100 Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte, N.C. Food Lion is donating approximately 10,0000 meals to help students.

Feb. 22- Virginia State University, Petersburg, Va.

Food Lion associates, along with the school's president, Makola M. Abdullah, will restock the "Troy Store" pantry, with more than 10,000 meals. Food Lion, partnership with VSU, created the pantry exactly a year ago this week. The pantry is located inside the Gateway Residence Hall on 1 Hayden St., in Petersburg, Va.

Feb. 23- Livingstone College, Salisbury, N.C.

Food Lion associates and students will restock the "The Bear Necessity Food Pantry," providing more than 17,000 meals to local Salisbury, N.C., students. The campus is located on 701 W. Monroe St., in Salisbury, N.C.

Feb. 23 – Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Food Lion associates and students will restock the "Ram Pantry" with more than 6,000 meals and also provide additional shelving to make the pantry more efficient for volunteers. The school is located on 601 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., in Winston-Salem, N.C.

About Food Lion

Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, has more than 1,000 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 63,000 associates. By leveraging its longstanding heritage of low prices and convenient locations, Food Lion is working to own the easiest full shop grocery experience in the Southeast, anchored by a strong commitment to affordability, freshness and the communities it serves. Through Food Lion Feeds, the company has committed to provide 500 million meals to individuals and families in need by the end of 2020. Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Royal Ahold Delhaize Group. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.

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