SKOKIE, Ill., Sept. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Peapod, the country's leading online grocer, is contributing to Feeding America's National Hunger Month by launching a Virtual Food Drive in its Northeast locations. Every item a customer purchases an item from a list of nearly 20 products, Peapod will donate that same item to local food banks in the communities it serves (up to a $5,000 value). Items include a variety of healthy, non-perishable items such as Nature's Promise Naturals Cranberry Juice, Nature's Promise Naturals Whole Wheat Spaghetti and Nature's Promise Organics Green Beans.

The food banks in the Northeast that will benefit from the Virtual Food Drive include:

• Greater Boston Food Bank
• Rhode Island Community Food Bank
• Community Food Bank of New Jersey
• Connecticut Food Bank
• Island Harvest (Long Island, NY)
• The Food Bank of NYC
• Food Bank for Westchester

Peapod is also excited to kick off the new school year with the continuation of its growing Kids Give Back Program. Launched in 2010, Kids Give Back is a grassroots educational initiative that teaches students about nutrition and math, while supporting their community food bank.

Peapod partners with regional fourth and fifth grade classrooms, donating up to $500 in Peapod gift cards to be used to purchase food for the students' local food bank. Working with teachers to complement curriculum, Peapod shares nutrition and math tips that help students make the most nutritious and financially sound purchase decisions.

"Participating in the Peapod Kids Give Back program was a wonderful experience for my classroom," said Amy Codega, a teacher at Fort Barton Elementary School in Tiverton, RI. "The activities really opened our students eyes to issues of hunger right here in our own community, while putting into practical use the math and nutrition lessons they were learning."

To date, Peapod has executed programs with classrooms in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York with plans to expand to states like New Jersey and Illinois in year two. Teachers with an interest in participating should contact kidsgiveback@peapod.com.

About Peapod

An Ahold USA company, Peapod has made over 20 million deliveries since 1989.  For more information, visit www.peapod.com.

SOURCE Peapod

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://www.peapod.com