Food Lion Feeds Orange Bag Campaign to Provide At Least 1 Million Meals to Help Neighbors Affected by Food Insecurity

Omnichannel retailer and customers partner to help address the increased demand for food assistance

SALISBURY, N.C., March 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the fifth consecutive year, Food Lion Feeds is partnering with its customers to help provide at least 1 million meals* to neighbors facing hunger through its annual Food Lion Feeds Orange Bag campaign. The campaign runs from March 1 – 21 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. According to Feeding America, the campaign is especially critical right now, as more than 53 million people turned to food banks, food pantries and other private food assistance programs in 2021.

Supporting the effort is easy: customers can purchase a specially marked orange bag or make a cash donation at checkout in-store or online through Food Lion To Go. Food Lion Feeds will help provide five meals for the sale of every bag to Feeding America and its partner food banks for up to 1 million meals. The total amount donated 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. Since the Food Lion Feeds Orange Bag campaign began in 2019, customers have helped to provide nearly 6 million meals through the sale of the specially marked oranges and cash donations.

“At Food Lion, we believe no one should have to choose between dinner and rent or gas and groceries, and we all work together to set families up for success in life,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. “By supporting the orange bag campaign, our customers and Food Lion Feeds help nourish our neighbors facing hunger and provide hope and create a better tomorrow.”

Through Food Lion Feeds, 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. For more information on Food Lion Feeds’ commitment to ending hunger, visit foodlion.com/feeds.

*$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local partner food banks. Through the orange bag campaign, $0.50 (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 (monetary equivalent of 1 million meals) from March 1 – 21, 2023.

**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.

About Food Lion
Food Lion is an omnichannel retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors during the moments that matter most. More than 82,000 associates across 1,100+ stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. Through its ‘Count on me’ culture, Food Lion fosters a sense of belonging for all associates, promoting a diverse and inclusive environment that has supported LGBTQ+ equality for nearly two decades. Food Lion is the only company in the country to be named an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for 21 consecutive years. It also pioneered a food rescue program to support food-insecure neighbors. Through Food Lion Feeds, the retailer has donated more than 1 billion meals to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. Founded and based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com.

About Feeding America
Feeding America^® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.2 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit 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/a4440823-69c5-4046-8b3e-77d73cd9599d