Giant supports frontline food distribution with $150K donation to Blue Ridge Area Food Bank
In honor of its 100th anniversary celebrations, Giant team members joined Blue Ridge Area Food Bank to volunteer and donate $150,000 to its Partner Impact & Innovation Grants program, which supports the agency’s partners with equipment and supplies to ensure safe food distribution.
“In order to connect families for a better future, we need to ensure food security,” said Luke Dreese, regional director of Giant. “While food donations are crucial, food pantries and program sites served by the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank also need a strong and vibrant distribution system to help eliminate hunger. We’re honored to support Blue Ridge Area Food Bank as part of our 100th anniversary and their ongoing work to ensure needed food gets to families throughout the Blue Ridge community.”
Since 2021, Giant has donated more than $500,000 and 2.3 million pounds of food to support Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s food security initiatives. Through the food bank’s partner impact and innovation grants, equipment and supplies are purchased for food pantry partners through an annual grant process. To date, the food bank has provided energy-efficient, large-capacity coolers and freezers to store perishable foods, shelving carts and generators to increase capacity and functionality. The grants also support transportation for mobile food distribution and technology upgrades to capture guest information and needs.
[Read more: Giant partners with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful to offer Healing the Planet grant program]
“This gift from The Giant Company, during its centennial celebration, will have a tremendous impact on our partner network. The partner impact and innovation grants are an important way that the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank can continue to support our partners as they serve more guests,” said Michael McKee, CEO of Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. “Together, we set a place at the table for everyone, every day, so more guests throughout our service area have access to the food they need. This investment will help the entire community as rising costs create more demand for hunger-relief services.”
Giant’s donation is part of its 100th anniversary celebration efforts, which honors team members, customers and the communities it serves. Building on its century-long commitment to grow strong, healthy communities, philanthropy is a cornerstone of the company’s anniversary celebration. It is building its legacy by making donations and participating in volunteer activities aligned with its purpose of connecting families for a better future through efforts to eliminate hunger, change children’s lives, heal the planet, promote wellbeing and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.
[Read more: Giant releases community impact report]