Food Lion Feeds to Help Provide 1 Million Meals to Families in Need Through Specially-Marked Bagged Apples

Customers can make a donation at the register September 16 through October 6 to help provide meals to seniors in need through Feeding America Member Food Banks

SALISBURY, N.C., Sept. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Food Lion is partnering with its customers to help end hunger in the towns and cities it serves. For every bag of specially-marked Food Lion gala apples purchased in-store beginning today, September 16, Food Lion Feeds will make a donation to Feeding America® member food banks.

In 2019, the bagged apple campaign helped to provide one million meals to families and their neighbors in need across Food Lion’s 10-state footprint.

The bags will maintain an MVP sale price of $2.99 throughout the campaign. The number of meals* provided to each food bank will be based on the number of participating bagged apples sold in each member food bank’s service area.

Since 2014, customers have helped to provide more than nine million meals** through the sale of the specially marked apples. This year’s bagged apples are anticipated to help provide more than 1 million meals.

“At Food Lion, we know that far too many of our neighbors in the towns and cities we serve are food-insecure,” said Jennifer Blanchard, director of community relations at Food Lion. “This gala apple bag campaign is a reminder that fresh and nutritious food is a critical component for food banks to fight hunger in the towns and cities we both serve. This campaign is one of the many ways that our customers can help nourish our neighbors in need and set them up for success.”

Food Lion is working to create a better tomorrow by uniting with customers and partners to help eliminate the difficult choices many families are forced to make when they are struggling with hunger. Through Food Lion Feeds, the company has made a commitment to provide 1 billion more meals*** to individuals and families in need by the end of 2025. The company achieved its previous goal of donating 500 million meals in early 2019.

For more information on Food Lion Feeds, visit www.foodlion.com/feeds.

*$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local member food banks. Through the apple bag campaign, $0.50 (monetary equivalent of 5 meals) from each bag purchase will be donated to Feeding America and member food banks. Food Lion guarantees a minimum donation of $100,000 (monetary equivalent of 1 million meals) from September 16 – October 6, 2020. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com/feeds.

**A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Gala Apple Bags was donated to Feeding America. The 9 million meal equivalent includes financial donations made by Food Lion to Feeding America with the Apple Bag Campaign between September 2014—October 2019 using the following calculations: 2014: $1 helps provide at least 10 meals; 2015: $1 helps provide at least 11 meals; 2016: $1 helps provide at least 11 meals; 2017: $1 helps provide at least 11 meals; 2018: $1 helps provide at least 10 meals; 2019: $1 helps provide at least 10 meals.

***One billion more meals will be provided through a combination of product, financial and equipment donations; disaster relief and recovery efforts; volunteer events; in-store retail campaigns; Food Lion Feeds’ retail food rescue program; and other sources.

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 77,000 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 donated more than 500 million meals to individuals and families since 2014, and has committed to donate 1 billion more meals by 2025. Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.

About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/92ef0335-0916-4b1f-8593-9fc328411da7