SALISBURY, N.C., Feb. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Food Lion Feeds, with the support of its customers, launched its three-weeklong Food Lion Feeds Orange Bag campaign to help address food insecurity. Food Lion Feeds kickstarted the campaign by helping provide a minimum of 2 million meals* to neighbors experiencing hunger through its annual initiative. Since the campaign began in 2019, customers have helped provide more than 7 million meals** through the sale of specially marked orange bags and cash donations. The campaign runs from Feb. 28 – March 19 and benefits Feeding America^®, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, and local partner food banks throughout Food Lion’s 10-state operating area. Food Lion Feeds was founded in 2014 by Food Lion to address food insecurity in the towns and cities it serves.

Supporting the effort is easy: customers can purchase specially marked orange bags or contribute cash donations while checking out in-store or online via Food Lion To Go. In this campaign, customers can use the digital keypads at checkout to donate a specific dollar amount or round up their purchases to support the effort.

Food Lion Feeds will help provide five meals for the sale of every bag to Feeding America and its partner food banks, up to 2 million meals. The total donation to each local food bank will be based on the number of eligible bagged oranges sold in each food bank’s service area. Additionally, 100% of all cash donations will directly support Feeding America and its partner food banks.

“Our neighbors deserve access to nutritious food, so when our customers purchase a bag of oranges, they help nourish individuals and their families within their community who are experiencing hunger,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. “At Food Lion, we believe no one should have to choose between dinner and rent or gas and groceries. Working together, we help more families get the food they deserve, setting them up for success.”

The Orange Bag campaign is one of many efforts Food Lion Feeds leads during the spring. In addition to this campaign, Food Lion Feeds launched its fifth season of Score to Give More in November. It teamed up with 54 collegiate basketball programs, including 16 women’s teams. Through this collaboration to address food insecurity, Food Lion Feeds will help provide 100 meals* (up to 30,000 meals per team) for every free throw made. The effort benefits Feeding America^® partner food banks throughout Food Lion’s 10-state operating area. The initiative is amplified during the CIAA and ACC basketball tournaments, when Food Lion Feeds presents checks to its community partner food banks benefiting from the meal donations. The amounts are based on the number of free throws made by each participating college.

Through Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion has helped to provide more than 1 billion meals** to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals** by 2025. For more information on Food Lion Feeds’ commitment to ending hunger, visit foodlion.com/feeds.

*$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America^® on behalf of local partner food banks. Through the orange bag campaign, $0.50 (monetary equivalent of five meals) from each bag purchase will be donated to Feeding America and partner food banks. Food Lion guarantees a minimum donation of $200,000 (monetary equivalent of 2 million meals) from Feb. 28 – March 19, 2024.

**Food Lion Feeds helps to address food insecurity by providing product, financial and equipment donations; disaster relief and recovery efforts; investing in capital campaign support for feeding agencies; and volunteer hours by associates. These investments are converted to a meal equivalent based on various meal equivalent formulas.

About Food Lion
Food Lion is an omnichannel retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors during the moments that matter most. More than 82,000 associates across 1,100+ stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. Through its ‘Count on me’ culture, Food Lion fosters a sense of belonging for all associates, promoting a diverse and inclusive environment that has supported LGBTQ+ equality for nearly two decades. Food Lion is the only company in the country to be named an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for 22 consecutive years. It also pioneered a food rescue program to support food-insecure neighbors. Through Food Lion Feeds, the retailer has donated more than 1 billion meals to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. Founded and based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com.

About Feeding America
Feeding America is committed to an America where no one is hungry. We support tens of millions of people who experience food insecurity to get the food and resources they say they need to thrive as part of a nationwide network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs. We also invest in innovative solutions to increase equitable access to nutritious food, advocate for legislation that improves food security and work to address factors that impact food security, such as health, cost of living and employment.

We partner with people experiencing food insecurity, policymakers, organizations and supporters, united with them in a movement to end hunger. Visit FeedingAmerica.org to learn more.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/76ca1753-cd9d-47bb-a3ca-f1de154ddc1f