Giant Food Announces Results of Recent Drives to Support Food Banks

Year-Long Effort to Combat Hunger Yields Record-Breaking Totals

LANDOVER, Md., Jan. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Giant Food of Landover, Md., is committed to helping alleviate hunger in the communities it serves and this year's commitment has produced record-breaking results. Over the course of 2010, Giant donated more than 2.4 million pounds of food to local hunger relief organizations. As a result of Giant's support tens of thousands of individuals and families didn't go hungry this year.

Giant's 2010 Good Neighbor Food and Funds Drive raised more than $253,000. Check presentations will be held later this month, and five regional food banks will receive the following funding: Capital Area Food Bank, $149,908.94; Maryland Food Bank, $73,684.06; Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, $15,244.98; and the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank and the Food Bank of Delaware, $7,622.49 each.  

"Giant has a long tradition of supporting the communities we're so privileged to serve and fighting hunger in those communities is our top charitable priority," said Jamie Miller, public and community relations manager for Giant Food of Landover, Md. "Working alongside food banks and nonprofit organizations, we have made a difference and helped to feed thousands in our region. As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, we're looking forward to launching additional programs and initiatives to help alleviate hunger."

"We are very grateful for Giant's enormous support of the Capital Area Food Bank, helping alleviate hunger across the Washington metropolitan region. In 2010 alone, Giant donated more than 978,000 pounds of food which was distributed to our network of 700 food programs, enabling 752,375 meals to be provided to families struggling to put food on their table," said Lynn Brantley, president and CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank. "During this challenging economic time, more and more people across the region are facing hunger and we're seeing an increase in the number of neighbors in need of our help. Giant's support is critical in our ability to serve our mission, to ensure that no one is left hungry."

Throughout 2010, Giant teamed up with the region's food banks and food pantries to help meet increased needs.  Highlights included the following:

• In February, the Food Bank of Delaware was short of its "Delaware Does More" winter giving campaign goal. Giant helped close the gap, donating more than 50,000 pounds of food, to ensure Delawareans in need didn't go hungry and that the campaign exceeded its goal.
• Associates at the Millville, Del., Giant collected more than 1,000 pounds of food for local food pantry, the Roxanna Pyle Center.
• To kick off September, Hunger Action Month, Giant worked alongside the Frederick Keys to host the first annual Giant Food Community Food Drive, to benefit the Frederick Food Bank. The Frederick Food Bank serves approximately 800 households per month and provides a three to five day supply of food to families and individuals in Frederick County, Md. who are experiencing an economic crisis and cannot afford groceries.
• At the 43rd annual Maryland Seafood Festival September 10-12, Giant again encouraged attendees to help "Stuff-A-Boat" to benefit the Maryland Food Bank. In just one weekend, festival attendees donated 2,443 pounds of food.
• Also during Hunger Action Month, Giant hosted Stuff-A-Truck events in Charlottesville, Va., Bear, Del., and Fredericksburg, Va., to benefit the Blue Ride Area Food Bank, Food Bank of Delaware and Fredericksburg Area Food Bank respectively. The events helped raise more than 10,000 pounds of food.
• Stuff-A-Bus at two Baltimore-area Giant stores collected 15,416 pounds of nonperishable items for the Maryland Food Bank.
• Giant often works with vendor partners to support community initiatives. This November, PepsiCo and Giant supported a Feed the Children event, helping 3,200 Washington, D.C., families in need.  Giant donated 3,200 reusable bags and 3,200 pieces of fresh produce.
• In conjunction with WTTG Fox 5 and CBS Radio Stations WPGC 95.5, 106.7 The Fan, 94.7 Fresh, and 99.1 El Zol, Giant Food hosted the ninth annual Stuff-A-Truck in Washington, D.C. More than $126,000 and 54,000 pounds of food were collected in one day. Capital Area Food Bank trucks were parked at four Giant locations across the Washington metropolitan region and filled to the top with nonperishable items.

Support for area food banks will continue throughout 2011 as Giant celebrates 75 years in the Washington metropolitan region. With new partnerships and long lasting relationships throughout the region, Giant continues its legacy of helping community members in need and alleviating 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