LANDOVER, Md. — Giant Food, the leading Washington D.C. regional grocery chain, announces today the donation of $550,520 to help address food insecurity among children within its local communities. From June 16 through August 7 of 2023, Giant held its brand-new customer giving campaign, ‘Nourishing Our Youth.’ During the campaign, Giant customers were given the option to round up their grocery purchase to the nearest dollar to donate to their local public schools’ food programs. 100% of the proceeds raised were donated to local school districts so they may use the funds to best serve their community and support meal programs such as covering outstanding student meal debt, expanding food distribution programs and building on-campus food pantries.
“We all know that children need nutritious meals to grow, learn and thrive. But too many children across our region struggle to receive a decent meal at lunch when attending school,” said Felis Andrade, Director of External Communications & Community Relations at Giant Food. “Through Giant’s Nourishing Our Youth program, we can give much-needed funds to school districts within our region to support their meal programs. We are incredibly grateful to our outstanding customers for their philanthropic support and thrilled to be able to donate these funds to our local school districts.”
According to Feeding America, over nine million children, or one-in-eight, faced hunger in 2022. Research has also consistently demonstrated that good nutrition and the ability to learn are intrinsically connected. School food programs are critical to ensuring many children receive regular meals and Giant is committed to continuing to support food insecurity efforts for children throughout its region.
“The generous Nourishing Our Youth Program allowed the Falls Church Education Foundation to provide Giant gift cards for food and school supplies for hundreds of students in need in the Falls Church City Public Schools,” said Debbie Hiscott, Executive Director Falls Church Education Foundation. “This critical support provided meals to ensure our families could send their children to school well fed and ready to learn. Public education prepares all students to enter the workforce, and we are grateful for the support of the Nourish Our Youth donors.”
Funds are currently being distributed to schools throughout October. For more information about the program, email NourishingOurYouth@cranecommunications.com.
Giant Food annually donates over 4.5 million pounds of food and over $1 million in cash contributions to its five Feeding America food bank partners in an effort to eliminate hunger within its region. Giant offers an extensive account of its efforts throughout 2022 across areas of charitable giving, education, partnerships, innovation and development to be a Better Neighbor, which means being a Better Place to Shop and Better Place to Work within the greater DMV region, in its Better Neighbor Report. To view Giant’s Better Neighbor Report, visit https://giantfood.com/pages/better-neighbor-report.
For more information about Giant Food and all of its community giving programs, visit giantfood.com/community.
About Giant Food
Since opening its first location 87 years ago in Washington, D.C. in 1936, Giant has been an integral part of the communities and customers it serves. Giant is committed to being a Better Neighbor and has designated four main giving pillars that address local Food Insecurity, Military Support, Pediatric Cancer Research and Social Equality. Giant is headquartered in Landover, Md. and operates 165 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia with approximately 20,000 associates. Included within the 165 stores are 153 full-service pharmacies and 27 Starbucks locations. Giant fits all the ways today’s busy customers want to shop – whether in store or online. With 162 Giant Pickup locations and delivery options available in all of its markets, customers have even more convenient options right at their fingertips to get the best products and prices, whenever and however they choose. For more information visit Giantfood.com
