Meijer Re-Affirms Commitment to Fighting Hunger; Increases Support of Food Rescue Programs in the Midwest

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- As an increasing number of people focus on local food banks to help feed their families, Midwest-retailer Meijer is expanding its fresh food donation initiative with plans to bring millions of pounds of fresh food directly to families in need through local food pantries. The announcement was made by Janet Emerson, executive vice president of operations for the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based supercenter chain.

"Meijer is pleased to expand our fresh food donation initiative," said Emerson. "As unemployment continues to challenge our economy, thousands of families are relying on local food banks.  Our expanded food rescue program allows us to help these families receive more fresh food, along with the traditional pantry offerings."

Meijer has expanded its "fresh" food donations, which include meats, cheese, yogurt, and select dairy items, to local food banks throughout the Midwest. The expansion of Meijer's initiative to provide fresh items helps increase the total tonnage of food delivered to local food banks while utilizing product that would not have been available in the past.

The Meijer fresh food donation initiative will include food banks in Detroit, Lansing, Toledo, Dayton, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, and communities in Chicago's Cook County.

This expanded food rescue program comes on the heels of Meijer's successful Simply Give program, where the company partners with its customers to generate gift cards for food pantries to use to stock their shelves. To date, Meijer and its customers have raised more than $1.1 million for local food pantries throughout the Midwest since the program began in 2008.

Meijer also partners with Blessings in a Backpack, a non-profit organization that serves to feed children whose families qualify for the federal free and reduced meal program through their elementary schools. The organization provides meals for the children to take home each weekend. Meijer has provided more than 18,000 re-usable backpacks along with the food the children take home every Friday. Blessings in a Backpack currently serves more than 38,000 students.

Meijer donates more than six percent of its net profit annually to a broad group of charities and organizations throughout the Midwest where its stores are located. The Meijer Food Rescue Program is an important component of Meijer's overall program to help feed the hungry.

About Meijer

Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 196 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. As the inventor of the "one-stop shopping" concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive electronics departments, garden centers and apparel offerings. Additional information on Meijer and the ability to shop for more can be found at www.meijer.com.

SOURCE Meijer