SALISBURY, N.C. — Food Lion Feeds is donating 9.5 million meals to Feeding America® partner food banks throughout its 10-state footprint through The Faces of Hope campaign, aimed to help support kids and families impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This widespread, far-reaching effort will impact local communities across Food Lion’s 10-state service area and assist their 30 Feeding America® partner food banks in meeting unprecedented demand as a result of the pandemic. 

“Already on the frontlines of ensuring all of our neighbors receive the nourishment they need, our food bank partners are now faced with new challenges from COVID-19 such as increased demand for food, transportation, and volunteer shortages,” said Meg Ham, Food Lion President. “At Food Lion, we’re proud to work with these incredible organizations every day, and we’re committed to continuing to help ease the additional burden felt by our food bank partners and ensure they can feed families counting on them for their next meal.” 

This latest effort continues Food Lion’s efforts to care for the towns and cities it serves including Action Pathways Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeastern North Carolina located in Fayetteville. Earlier this year, Food Lion donated more than $3.6 million to community partners to provide COVID-19 relief, including $3.1M to food bank and medical research partners, and $500,000 in a partnership to support schools feeding children in need during the summer. 

“Nourishing our neighbors is core to everything we do at Food Lion, and we recognize that this is an incredibly difficult time for many,” said Ham. “Our neighbors are counting on us more than ever and we will do our part to bring meals and hope to families in need.” 

The Faces of Hope campaign has multiple elements to assist food bank partners including volunteerism, funding to increase transportation capacity, and resources to support new school feeding distribution models. Starting this month, and running through the end of this year, this latest Food Lion Feeds effort includes four key components to nourish our neighbors: 

  • Hope for the Future–Provide $25 Food Lion gift cards in partnership with school backpack programs to ensure kids and their families have resources to buy food during this critical time. The donation will equal 4,750,000 meals. 
  • Filling Children’s Bellies–Donate funds to food bank partners with existing childhood hunger feeding programs to provide meals directly to children in vulnerable communities. The donation will equal 1,250,000 meals. 
  • Turning the Wheels–Donate trucks, drivers and volunteers to help food banks pack and move more food, increasing access to food for neighbors. The donation will equal 3,500,000 meals. 
  • The Great Pantry Makeover—Grow The Great Pantry Makeover and ongoing support of Food Banks’ need to invest in infrastructure and equipment to better manage the increased amounts of food needed to support our neighbors. Additionally, donate food to local feeding agencies. The donation will equal 3,500,000 meals. 

Through Food Lion Feeds, the retailer’s hunger-relief platform, Food Lion has donated more than 500 million meals* to individuals and families since 2014 through a combination of product, financial and equipment donations; disaster relief and recovery efforts; volunteer hours by associates; in-store retail campaigns; the company’s food rescue program. Food Lion has committed to donate 1 billion more meals by 2025. 

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

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.