Feeding America’s corporate partners play an instrumental role in the movement to end hunger—and for more than two decades, Food Lion has supported our mission and helped ensure that people facing hunger receive the nourishing food they need.
“The decision to partner with Feeding America came out of a conversation about excess food in our stores and being able to get that food to people who could use it,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds , Food Lion. The company’s philanthropic giving platform, Food Lion Feeds focuses on alleviating food insecurity. “We asked ourselves, ‘How do we make sure nothing in our stores goes to waste, or ends up in a landfill, but instead is donated and used by someone who needs it.’”
In 2000, Food Lion became the first grocery retailer in the country to establish a food rescue program in partnership with Feeding America. Food Lion Feeds was founded in 2014 to reduce food insecurity in the towns and cities Food Lion serves and committed to donating 500 million meals* by 2020. By 2019, Food Lion Feeds reached that goal 18 months early and set a new goal to provide 1 billion more meals by the end of 2025.
Notably in February 2025, Food Lion Feeds achieved its goal of helping to provide 1.5 billion meals to address food insecurity in the towns and cities it serves across its 10-state footprint. This goal was achieved through a collective effort and combination of product, financial and equipment donations; disaster relief and recovery efforts; associate volunteer hours; in-store retail campaigns; and the company’s food rescue program.
Food Lion Feeds’ new goal will double its efforts to-date and provide a total of 3 billion meals by 2032. This next milestone demonstrates Food Lion Feeds' ongoing commitment to nourishing communities by providing immediate hunger relief and addressing the root causes of food insecurity.
Food Rescue is Vital to Ending Hunger
Every day across the food bank network, members work with farmers, food manufacturers and retailers like Food Lion, a Feeding America Visionary Partner, to capture healthy, safe surplus food for neighbors facing hunger. Food banks then redistribute that food through more than 200 food banks and 60,000 agency partners and meal programs nationwide—so people have access to the wholesome food we all need to thrive. Partners like Food Lion helped Feeding America, the nation’s largest food rescue organization, rescue more than 4 billion pounds in fiscal year 2024, including produce, protein, milk and dairy products. In 2024 alone, Food Lion Feeds provided more than 69 million meals through its food rescue efforts to help nourish families experiencing
food insecurity.
From an organizational standpoint, Food Lion operates more than 1,100 stores with its primary footprint throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. Over the years, Food Lion’s support has helped Feeding America expand the food bank network’s ability to reach more people facing hunger, including increasing food access for neighbors who live in rural communities.
“Access to fresh and nutritious food is one of our primary strategies,” said Durkee. “We have been focusing on partnering with food banks and agencies in their mobile pantries efforts,” helping them with mobile units and refrigeration, among other support.”
The Origin of ‘Food Lion Feeds’
In 2014, Food Lion was involved with several philanthropic efforts. To narrow their focus and investments with care and intention, the company asked its customers for their feedback on the philanthropic effort that would best fit the grocer.
“Overwhelmingly, the answer was to provide nourishing food to our neighbors,” said Durkee.
During the 2024 holiday season, Food Lion Feeds held its annual Holidays Without Hunger campaign, which resulted in more than 29 million meals for families facing hunger—setting a record for the retailer and quadrupling the highest campaign total set in 2021. The holiday campaign benefited 33 partner food banks and hundreds of agency partners throughout Food Lion’s multi-state operating area.
Food Lion’s work with Feeding America on Holidays Without Hunger was honored with the Silver Award in the Best Consumer Donation Initiative category at The 2025 Halo Awards, held April 25 and presented by Engage for Good. Since launching in 2014, Holiday Without Hunger has helped provide more than 73 million meals.
Trusted Relationships are Key
New in 2024 for the holiday campaign was the implementation of an automated pin pad, round-up donation option for its customers. The move, Durkee said, was a “huge success” with customers donating more than $2.6 million for hunger relief at registers.
“Our customers are so generous and caring for their neighbors,” said Durkee. “They know that their donations will help someone facing hunger in their
community, maybe even someone across the street or down the street. The donation stays in their community.”
The trust established between Food Lion and its customers mirrors the trust the retailer has found through its Feeding America partnership.
“Through our funding, we support food banks so they can, utilize their expertise in terms of ending hunger and not have us put restrictions on their work,” said Durkee. “The food banks are the experts, and they have the latitude to make the right decisions for their communities.”
*According to the USDA, 1.2 pounds is the equivalent to one meal.
