Food Lion Donates 29 Million Pounds of Food, Groceries to America's Second Harvest
SALISBURY, N.C. -- Food Lion, LLC was the second-largest retail food donor to America's Second Harvest -- The Nations Food Bank Network in 2005, the hunger relief organization said yesterday. Food Lion, a unit of the Delhaize Group, donated a total of 29 million pounds of grocery product.
"What's amazing about this level of donation is that for a regional food retailer, Food Lion is making an extraordinary commitment to feeding hungry Americans with such a large donation," said Eric Davis, America's Second Harvest manager of retail programs, in a statement.
Food Lion and America's Second Harvest created a retail donation program five years ago with the goal of recovering as much useable grocery product as possible. The revised program established guidelines for dairy and other perishable products to be donated to food banks, rather than destroyed. Food banks, in turn, distribute the donated product to soup kitchens, food pantries, emergency shelters, and other charities that provide food to those at risk of hunger.
More than 1,000 Food Lion retail stores are now participating in the program. Approximately half of the 29 million pounds Food Lion donates to America's Second Harvest comes from its retail stores, while the remainder comes from distribution and reclamation centers.
"What's amazing about this level of donation is that for a regional food retailer, Food Lion is making an extraordinary commitment to feeding hungry Americans with such a large donation," said Eric Davis, America's Second Harvest manager of retail programs, in a statement.
Food Lion and America's Second Harvest created a retail donation program five years ago with the goal of recovering as much useable grocery product as possible. The revised program established guidelines for dairy and other perishable products to be donated to food banks, rather than destroyed. Food banks, in turn, distribute the donated product to soup kitchens, food pantries, emergency shelters, and other charities that provide food to those at risk of hunger.
More than 1,000 Food Lion retail stores are now participating in the program. Approximately half of the 29 million pounds Food Lion donates to America's Second Harvest comes from its retail stores, while the remainder comes from distribution and reclamation centers.