In an ambitious effort to combat food insecurity among students, The Giant Co. has reintroduced its Feeding School Kids initiative for its fifth consecutive year. Customers shopping at Giant, Martin’s, and Giant Heirloom Market locations are encouraged to participate in various donation options now through March 31. They can round up their purchases, buy reusable bags, or convert their Choice points into donations for local public school food programs.
Courtney Hopcraft, the manager of community relations and charitable giving at The Giant Co., acknowledged the impact of these food programs. She remarked, “School food programs are crucial when it comes to fighting student hunger by helping to ensure that children have regular access to nutritious food during school, on weekends, and during school breaks.” To date, the initiative has enabled The Giant Co. and its customers to donate over $7.6 million, providing essential funds to address food insecurity in the community.
To kick off the program this year, Giant Co. is making a significant contribution of $100,000. This funding will directly aid public school districts in establishing meal programs and meeting the nutritional needs of students through various initiatives. Some of these activities include providing backpacks filled with weekend food, settling outstanding student lunch debts, and creating on-campus food pantries.
The past year has seen remarkable efforts by several school districts in Pennsylvania, where the Feeding School Kids initiative has played a pivotal role in enhancing their meal programs. For instance, the Colonial School District served approximately 8,000 students over the summer months to bridge the meal gap between school years. Meanwhile, the DuBois Area School District distributed additional snacks to 1,100 students involved in the free school breakfast and lunch programs.
The Central Dauphin School District has emerged as a standout participant in the initiative. It provided around 2,000 students with weekly Nutri-packs containing meals for dinner, weekends, and during school breaks. This program highlights the collaborative effort between schools and the community in ensuring students remain nourished throughout the year. “NutriPacks is a volunteer organization committed to helping students in the Central Dauphin School District have access to nutritious food on the weekends and school breaks so that hunger is not a barrier to their academic success,” explained Sandra Brooks, the director of the Central Dauphin School District NutriPacks Program.
Brooks further emphasized the program’s impact stating, “Because of donations and grants received during the 2023-24 school year, NutriPacks was able to serve 800 students each week. The lives of our most vulnerable children in the Central Dauphin community have been positively changed because of the generosity of our community partners, such as The Giant Co.”
The Giant Co., an omnichannel grocer operating across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, employs over 35,000 team members across its 193 stores. It operates under the banners of Giant, Martin’s, and Giant Heirloom Market. The company’s parent organization, Ahold Delhaize USA, ranks as the 11th largest food and consumables retailer in North America on Progressive Grocer’s PG 100 list for 2024. Furthermore, it has been recognized as one of the Retailers of the Century and is listed among the 10 Most Sustainable Grocers for the same year.
By enabling customers to contribute through everyday transactions, The Giant Co. not only fosters a spirit of communal support but also highlights the important role that businesses can play in addressing pressing social issues. As this initiative continues to grow, it serves as a model for how grocery retailers can leverage their platforms for the greater good, actively participating in the fight against hunger.
This initiative exemplifies the critical importance of local businesses stepping up to address community challenges. The Giant Co. demonstrates that through collaboration and strategic engagement, businesses can make a tangible difference in the lives of students who might otherwise go without nutritious meals.
In conclusion, the Feeding School Kids initiative has made a profound impact over the past five years. The emphasis on community involvement, coupled with the generous contributions from both the company and its customers, sets a strong precedent for corporate responsibility within the retail industry.
