Food Lion Family and Bottom Dollar Food Raise Record Pounds of Food in 'Hunger Has a Cure' Campaign

SALISBURY, N.C., Jan. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In the recent eighth annual "Hunger Has a Cure" campaign, Food Lion Family and Bottom Dollar Food raised a record 1.5 million pounds of food to support local food banks affiliated with Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief charity.

The campaign offered customers the opportunity to purchase ready-made food boxes or donate food in bins. Roughly 250,000 boxes were sold in the effort, which ran from Nov. 17-Dec. 28.  

"We are ecstatic about the 1 million meals that we were able to provide to families in need from the 'Hunger Has a Cure' box sales," said Bill Garcia, community relations manager for Food Lion Family and Bottom Dollar Food. "We are proud to work with Feeding America to help eliminate hunger in our communities, and we will continue to do all that we can to help our neighbors."

The ready-made food boxes contained five to seven items and were available at Food Lion, Bloom, Harveys, Reid's and Bottom Dollar Food stores for $4.99 each. Customers would buy the boxes or donate other non-perishable items, and the contributions were donated to Feeding America-affiliated food banks and their agencies.

The grocers' long-standing partnership with Feeding America dates back to 2002, and over the years, more than 250 million pounds of food have been donated to Feeding America and its affiliated food banks.

In 2010, Food Lion Family and Bottom Dollar Food grocery donations to Feeding America amounted to more than 34 million pounds of food, valued at more than $51 million.

For more than 50 years, Food Lion Family and Bottom Dollar Food have served as caring neighbors and strong corporate citizens in the communities in which they operate. Through corporate and foundation giving, campaigns carried out by its many stores, local programs and individual associate involvement, Food Lion Family and Bottom Dollar Food support communities and numerous nonprofit organizations. 

About Food Lion Family

Food Lion Family is a subsidiary of Brussels-based Delhaize Group (NYSE: DEG). Food Lion Family operates more than 1,300 supermarkets, either directly or through affiliated entities, under the names of Food Lion, Bloom, Harveys and Reid's. These stores meet local customer needs and preferences for the freshest and best quality products. Food Lion employs approximately 74,000 associates in 11 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states.

About Bottom Dollar Food  

Bottom Dollar Food, based in Salisbury, N.C., operates 29 stores in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Bottom Dollar Food is a full-shop soft-discount grocer offering the most popular national brands and private brand products at everyday best prices. Bottom Dollar Food is redefining discount shopping with its lighthearted atmosphere and focus on fresh produce and quality meats. For more information, visit www.bottomdollarfood.com. 

About Feeding America

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

SOURCE Food Lion Family