Giant Food Launches Annual Good Neighbor Food and Funds Drive to Support Five Regional Food Banks

LANDOVER, Md., Nov. 5, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Giant Food is kicking off its 23rd annual Good Neighbor Food and Funds Drive to help five regional food banks keep their shelves stocked this holiday season. The annual hunger relief program gives customers the opportunity to help needy families by making a monetary contribution or donating non-perishable food items at neighborhood Giant stores. The Good Neighbor program will take place in all Giant Food stores from November 5 through November 28, 2010.

The Good Neighbor program makes it easy for Giant customers to support their local food bank by adding $1, $5, or $10 to their grocery bill at check out. Additionally, each Giant store has a collection cart where customers can donate non-perishable food items. In most stores, customers can buy a pre-packed reusable grocery bag filled with non-perishable items including two cans of Giant Specialty Beans, two cans of Starkist Chunk Light Tuna, one 28-ounce can Giant Tomatoes, and one box of Pasta Roni for $5. In Baltimore-area stores, customers can buy a special Ravens reusable tailgate bag for $5 and Giant will donate several items to the in-store Good Neighbor Food and Funds Drive collection to benefit the Maryland Food Bank. Both food and monetary donations help feed thousands of community members.  

"Giant is committed to alleviating hunger in our community throughout the year, and we have a long history of raising awareness about hunger during the holiday months. Through the Good Neighbor Food and Funds Drive, we are working to make a difference and helping people in our region keep food on their tables," said Jamie Miller, manager of public & community relations, Giant Food of Landover, Md. "In our twenty-third year, the Good Neighbor Food and Funds Drive brings Giant and the community together in an effort to drive away hunger in our community."

As a result of the 2009 Good Neighbor program, Giant donated more than $310,000 to the Capital Area Food Bank, Maryland Food Bank, Fredericksburg Area Food Bank, Food Bank of Delaware, and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. The need of food banks across the region is even greater this year and Giant hopes to surpass 2009 numbers.

The Good Neighbor Food and Funds Drive is the first of several Giant initiatives to help alleviate hunger in the region during the holiday season. Giant will host its 12th annual "Stuff-A-Bus" event at White Marsh and Ellicott City Giant locations in support of the Maryland Food Bank on November 13 and 14. The  ninth annual Giant "Stuff-A-Truck" will take place at four Washington area stores on December 10 to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank.

During  September, Hunger Action Month, Giant hosted a community food drive with the Frederick Keys, the Orioles minor-league baseball affiliate, at their stadium to benefit the Frederick Food Bank and "Stuff-A-Truck" events at both Charlottesville, Va. stores to benefit the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. In addition, Giant partnered with Unilever and held two additional "Stuff-A-Truck" events in Fredericksburg, Va. and Bear, Del. to benefit the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank and Food Bank of Delaware respectively. As a result of the initiatives combined, more than 10,000 pounds of food was donated to help combat hunger.

About Giant Food of Landover, Md.

Giant Food LLC, headquartered in Landover, Md., operates 179 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, and employs approximately 22,000 associates. Included within the 179 stores are 163 full-service pharmacies. For more information on Giant, visit www.GiantFood.com.

SOURCE Giant Food LLC