FMI Recognizes Six Food Retailers For Community Outreach Programs & Charitable Initiatives

ARLINGTON, VA.  – The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) announced the six winners of its 2013 Community Outreach Awards. The awards recognize the creative, charitable programs established and carried out by food retailers to enhance the lives of those in the communities they serve.

“These programs, and all those submitted, serve as vivid reminders that the longstanding tradition of the neighborhood supermarket enriching the life of its community is alive and well,” said David Fikes, FMI’s vice president of communications and consumer affairs. “Reaching well beyond the food they provide their shoppers, grocery stores seek to be an involved light in the local community, a beacon of shining hope.”

Two winners were selected across three categories: programs addressing food insecurity, youth development and neighborhood health improvement programs. Entries were judged based on criteria including participation, community need and impact. Each of the six winners will receive $1,000 from FMI to further their program:

Programs Addressing Food insecurity

•     PCC Natural Market: Shoppers contribute cash donations and reusable bag rebates to fund the purchase of bulk food, which is repackaged at bi-monthly parties at 10 partner food pantries.
•     Hy-Vee: This yearly campaign, created in 2002 to reenergize a 25-year-old partnership with Iowa’s largest food pantry, showcases Hy-Vee associates’ creativity and consumers’ generosity.

Neighborhood Health Improvement Programs

•     Klein’s ShopRite of Maryland: Through a partnership with the City of Baltimore and nonprofits, the event allowed citizens to voluntarily surrender guns and receive a $100 ShopRite gift card.
•     First Alternative Co-Op: Shoppers using reusable bags place their vote between charities and, over the course of the year, 16 charities receive a proportional donation.
• Youth Development Programs
•     Safeway: High-schoolers from local underserved communities participate in workshops and activities structured to help students achieve professional success despite life challenges.
•     Big Y Food Stores, Inc.: This youth program focuses on Y-AIM: (a)chieve academically, (i)spire to attend college, (m)ove toward personal, family and community advancement.

Food Marketing Institute proudly advocates on behalf of the food retail industry. FMI’s U.S. members operate nearly 40,000 retail food stores and 25,000 pharmacies, representing a combined annual sales volume of almost $770 billion. Through programs in public affairs, food safety, research, education and industry relations, FMI offers resources and provides valuable benefits to more than 1,225 food retail and wholesale member companies in the United States and around the world. FMI membership covers the spectrum of diverse venues where food is sold, including single owner grocery stores, large multi-store supermarket chains and mixed retail stores. For more information, visit www.fmi.org and for information regarding the FMI foundation, visit www.fmifoundation.org.

Source: Food Marketing Institute