Meijer Rebrands its Simply Give Program to Increase Awareness of Hunger, Boost Donations to its Food Pantry Partners

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to increase donations to its food pantry partners, Meijer announced today that it has rebranded its signature hunger relief program, Simply Give, with the color orange to align more closely to the issue that continues to rise throughout the Midwest.

To celebrate the enhancement of its program, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer will stretch every customer's $10 Simply Give donation further April 11-12. That means for every $10 donation card purchase, Meijer will contribute $20, resulting in a total $30 donation.

"Orange represents the color of hunger awareness, and we wanted Simply Give to connect more closely to the issue at hand," Co-Chairman Hank Meijer said. "Thanks to the continued support and generosity of our customers, team members and pantry partners, we've been feeding hungry families in the communities we serve for more than five years. We believe these changes will bring more awareness to the Simply Give program, and in turn, help us give even more to our food pantry partners."

Meijer began its Simply Give program in November 2008 as a way to help restock the shelves of local food pantries throughout the Midwest.

Since then, the program has generated nearly $8 million for those food pantry partners to distribute to hungry families. And, more importantly, those meals stay local, said Janet Emerson, executive vice president of retail operations for Meijer.

"We know how important it is to our customers that their generous donations remain in their local communities," Emerson said. "That's why each of our stores partner with a local food pantry during the Simply Give campaign."

During each Simply Give campaign, customers are encouraged to purchase $10 Simply Give donation cards that are then converted into Meijer food-only gift cards and given to the food pantry selected by the store. The Simply Give program runs three times a year; the spring campaign will run through May 12.

Although the spring campaign is seven weeks long, the opportunity for customers to get their Simply Give donations double matched will be April 11-12.

Customers can find the rebranded Simply Give donation cards on fixtures near the checkout, and grocery and pharmacy departments.

To view a video that further explains the Simply Give program, and other Meijer hunger relief efforts, please visit http://youtu.be/b7c2JUdF32Q.

About Meijer Philanthropy: Meijer is a family-owned retailer based in Grand Rapids, Mich. with a fundamental philosophy aimed at strengthening the communities it serves. Meijer proudly donates more than 6 percent of its net profit each year to charities throughout the Midwest. With hunger as a corporate philanthropic focus, Meijer partners with hundreds of food banks and pantries through its Simply Give and food rescue programs. Meijer also supports education, disaster relief, and health and wellness initiatives. For additional information on Meijer philanthropy, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.

SOURCE Meijer