Southeastern Grocers lets customers donate ‘hunger relief’ bags of groceries

Southeastern Grocers has partnered with Feeding America on a new campaign that enables shoppers to give $5 “hunger relief” bags of groceries to people facing food insecurity amid the coronavirus crisis.

Starting Tuesday, customers at Bi-Lo, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie locations can buy the $5 bags of non-perishable food at all store registers. The donations will benefit local food banks across the Southeast, which since the COVID-19 outbreak have been scrambling to meet escalating demand. Feeding America reported that nearly 60% of its network food banks are grappling with reduced inventory levels.

The hunger relief bags contain shelf-stable SE Grocers products, including spaghetti, canned green beans, canned corn and boxes of macaroni and cheese. Southeastern Grocers said all of the bags will fulfilled directly from its warehouse and delivered to local food banks, providing a contactless donation for customers and store associates.

Done in tandem with the SEG Gives Foundation, the giving campaign runs through May 15.

“We are committed to fighting hunger and providing food to the communities we serve. At Southeastern Grocers, we believe this responsibility expands outside our doors and into the homes of our neighbors in need,” Anthony Hucker, president and CEO of Southeastern Grocers, said in a statement. “This is why we have created a simple way we can all help replenish food pantry shelves and provide nourishment to those in need. As a community, we are stronger together and will overcome these difficult times by showing kindness to our neighbors.”

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To help kick off the program, Pepsi has pledged to donate $25,000 to the campaign, which will provide 5,000 hunger relief bags to Feeding America food banks.

Southeastern Grocers added that, in March, the SEG Gives Foundation donated $250,000 to help Feeding America food banks provide much-needed support to people now grappling with hunger.

“Our charitable food system in the United States is continually facing surges in demand, declines in food donations and volunteers, and disruptions to normal operating procedures, as a result of the COVID-19 crisis,” according to Lauren Biedron, vice president of corporate partnerships at Feeding America. “Never has our network of food banks faced such a tremendous challenge, and we need all the resources we can get to help our neighbors during this unparalleled time.”

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Southeastern Grocers operates 550 supermarkets, as well as liquor stores and in-store pharmacies, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.

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