Wegmans Makes a Difference in Mid-Atlantic

Fifteen years after its second Virginia store opening, Wegmans is preparing to open the doors on its fourth location in the state on Nov. 4. The highly anticipated new store in Fairfax County at Capital One Center in Tysons is also the first in a series of 10 new stores the grocer has planned for the Mid-Atlantic region.

Wegmans is following in its own footsteps on the philanthropic front in Fairfax County, donating to local organizations and sponsoring community events, as it does in each new neighborhood it enters.

“From supporting yearly events like Celebrate Fairfax to providing food banks with daily food donations from our stores, we believe it is important to give back to these wonderful communities,” said Chris Holland, Wegmans Virginia division community relations coordinator, in a statement.

In 2019, the Rochester, N.Y.-based grocer’s three Virginia stores (Fairfax, Alexandria and Chantilly) contributed a combined total of nearly $300,000 to the community through 770 donations and local event sponsorships, says the company.

“One of our highest giving priorities is providing food for people at risk of hunger. Our yearly Check Out Hunger campaigns have raised more than $1.1 million for hunger relief in Fairfax County since 2005, and in 2019, the three stores collected nearly 48,000 pounds of food during our Fill the Bus campaign,” the company reports.

Wegmans’ additional efforts in the area include a more than $141,000 donation to local organizations providing assistance directly to people in need at the start of COVID, $5,000 to Food for Others to assist with restocking shelves during the pandemic, and participating in the Perishable Pick Up Program, which provides local food pantries and food banks with wholesome perishable food from its stores throughout the week.

In 2012 Wegmans’ Fairfax County stores began a partnership with Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia. Each year the grocer provides finish-line hospitality for the group’s four 5K events, additional items for fundraising events, and a cash contribution. This year, it provided $18,000 to the organization, making Wegmans one of its largest sponsors.

In 2018, Wegmans contributed $25,000 to the La Cocina bilingual culinary training program, which prepares low-income individuals for meaningful careers in the food industry. And in 2019, its Fairfax County stores donated nearly $140,000 to the United Way of the National Capital Area, with funds raised through employee and company contributions.

“Supporting a variety of local events and organizations enables our stores to connect with the local neighborhoods where they work and live,” says the company, which also donates to local scholarship programs.

“The Fairfax, Alexandria, and Chantilly stores have connected with many great organizations over the years and we can’t wait to build on those relationships,” said Tysons Store Manager Kevin Russell in a statement. “We look forward to making a difference in Fairfax County.”