VIRGINIA, USA — Food Lion plans to donate $100,000 to food banks in the region in order to provide meals to children and the elderly in need.
The Foodbank Southeastern Virginia and Foodbank Eastern Shore will receive $70,000 to aid their support of prepared and packaged meals.
Food Lion will also donate $30,000 to the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank to help purchase food for children in need of food assistance.
These donations are part of a larger $600,000 donation package in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
"Nourishing our neighbors and setting them up for success is core to everything we do,” said Meg Ham, Food Lion President. “No child should have to worry about an empty belly, and no senior should worry about making the choice between their medicine and their next meal. That’s why we’ve always made fighting hunger a priority through Food Lion Feeds. We know our neighbors are counting on us right now and we’re committed to nourish all our neighbors in the towns and cities we serve. We’ll continue to stay closely connected to our community partners and ensure we do everything we can to help provide stability during this uncertain time.”
The grocery store chain released this statement related to the donation:
In America, 5.5 million seniors and one in seven children across Food Lion’s 10-state footprint are food insecure. Food Lion has committed $500,000 to be donated directly to its Feeding America affiliated community food bank partners serving towns and cities where Food Lion operates. The additional $100,000 will be donated to Feeding America® to support its overall response efforts.