Feeding America announced today that the Food Lion Charitable Foundation and The Western Union Foundation have rejoined forces to support programs that enrich the lives of children by donating a combined total of $200,000 to Feeding America and nine of its member food banks.
The Food Lion Charitable Foundation's contribution is in support of addressing child hunger, while the educational component is funded by The Western Union Foundation. The grant focuses on students in the communities that Food Lion and Western Union serve.
Food Lion Charitable Foundation President Kevin Hill and Frank Lockridge, Vice President of Strategic Accounts at Western Union, presented checks to representatives from the respective food banks during a special presentation on October 15 at the Food Lion corporate offices in Salisbury, N.C.
"Food Lion has a longstanding partnership with Feeding America to help end hunger in the communities we serve," said Food Lion Charitable Foundation President Kevin Hill."Within our operating area, nearly 1 in 6 Americans face hunger every day. That's why we are so passionate about helping food banks provide healthy, nutritious meals for the families they serve. The Food Lion Charitable Foundation and the Western Union Foundation are proud to offer these food bank grants to help eliminate the choice that families have to make between paying rent and feeding their families."
Although food insecurity is harmful to any individual, it can be particularly devastating among children due to their increased vulnerability and the potential for long-term consequences. According to research, children growing up in food-insecure families are vulnerable to poor health and stunted development from the earliest stages of life.
The nine food banks in the Feeding America network that are recipients of the donation employ a variety of innovative approaches to provide nutritious food and nutrition education to children and adults in the communities.
The Feeding America food banks grant recipients are Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina (Charlotte, N.C.), Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina (Raleigh, N.C.), Inter-Faith Food Shuttle (Raleigh, N.C.), Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina (Winston-Salem, N.C.), Harvest Hope Food Bank (Columbia, S.C.), Lowcountry Food Bank (Charleston, S.C.), Foodbank of the Virginia Peninsula (Hampton, Va.), Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore (Norfolk, Va.) and FeedMore (Richmond, Va.).
Specifically, the combined donation will support Feeding America's Kids Cafe programs at each of the food banks. For example, the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina has 42 Kids Cafe sites in 12 different counties in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Established in 2001, the Food Lion Charitable Foundation provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to feeding the hungry in the communities it serves.
"Communities across the country benefit from the nutrition programs offered by Feeding America, and we are proud to join with the Food Lion Charitable Foundation to support these important initiatives," said Patrick Gaston, president of The Western Union Foundation."When a student is hungry, they have difficulty realizing their full potential. By working with Feeding America, we are helping young people gain access to nutrition and educational programs that can help set the foundation for their healthy future."
"In a nation of abundance, it's unacceptable that nearly 16 million children struggle with hunger," said Bob Aiken, CEO of Feeding America, the nation's leading hunger-relief organization."We are grateful for the generous support of partners like Food Lion Charitable Foundation and the Western Union Foundation. With their help, we can solve hunger and all children in this country can have the food they need to grow healthy and strong."
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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 5.3 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 www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Food Lion
Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., is a company of Delhaize America, the U.S. division of Brussels-based Delhaize Group (NYSE: DEG) and operates more than 1,100 supermarkets. The company employs approximately 57,000 associates delivering quality products, low prices and service to customers in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.
ABOUT THE WESTERN UNION FOUNDATION
The Western Union Foundation is dedicated to creating a better world, where the ability to realize dreams through economic opportunity is not just a privilege for the few but a right for all. With the support of The Western Union Company, its employees, Agents, and business partners, The Western Union Foundation works to realize this vision by supporting education and disaster relief efforts as pathways toward a better future. Our combined social ventures efforts make life better for individuals, families and communities around the world. Since its inception, The Western Union Foundation has committed more than $90.2 million in grants and other giving to more than 2,657 nongovernmental organizations in more than 130 countries and territories. The Western Union Foundation, is a separate �501(c)(3) recognized United States charity. To learn more, visit www.westernunionfoundation.org.
