GRAND RAPIDS, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) — As part of its commitment to building stronger communities, the SpartanNash Foundation announced today Foundation trustees unanimously authorized a $250,000 grant to 19 state and local food bank partners in 16 states where the company operates 155 corporate-owned retail stores, four service centers and 18 wholesale, military and fresh produce distribution centers.
The grant was made possible in part by a $125,000 matching contribution from the SpartanNash Corporation and contributions pledged to the SpartanNash Foundation by company associates. The SpartanNash grant is in addition to the Company’s significant investment in bonuses for frontline hourly workers and protective measures for associates and customers.
SpartanNash’s food bank grant partners are part of the Feeding America nonprofit nationwide network of more than 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs that feed more than 46 million people a year. Depending on the location and operational model of the food bank, the SpartanNash Foundation grant should fund between 750,000 and 2.5 million meals for families in need.
In addition to this COVID-19 relief grant, the SpartanNash Foundation also granted more than $1.35 million in 2019 to provide hunger relief, secure shelter and support military families. SpartanNash donates more than 5.5 million pounds of food annually to partnering food banks and local food pantries and funded more than $1.4 million in community support in 2019.
“As the nation’s fifth largest food distributor and a leading distributor of grocery products to U.S. military commissaries around the world, SpartanNash has served as a trusted provider and community leader for more than 100 years,” said Dennis Eidson, SpartanNash Interim President and CEO. “We take this responsibility very seriously. The coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented strains on families, driven record unemployment, and resulted in many turning to food banks and pantries for help. By supporting our partnering food banks, we can drive greater community impact at these most uncertain times.”
The SpartanNash Foundation grant will provide vital funding for the following Feeding America network of food banks, serving Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin:
- Feeding the Gulf Coast
- Feeding Tampa Bay
- Feeding the Valley Food Bank
- Hoosier Hills Food Bank
- Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana
- Maryland Food Bank
- Feeding America West Michigan
- Food Bank of Eastern Michigan
- Second Harvest Heartland
- Foodbank for the Heartland
- Second Harvest Food Bank
- Great Plains Food Bank
- Second Harvest of Clark, Champaign and Logan Counties
- West Ohio Food Bank
- Regional Foodbank of Oklahoma City
- Feeding South Dakota
- San Antonio Food Bank
- Feeding Southwest Virginia Food Bank
- Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia
“For decades, SpartanNash and the SpartanNash Foundation have been generous partners with our organization and the 800 food pantries, meal programs and shelters we supply throughout Michigan,” said Ken Estelle, President and CEO of Feeding America West Michigan. “We are most grateful for product donations throughout the year, and 100 percent of this financial contribution will help us provide food to families in need as a result of COVID-19.”
Each year, the SpartanNash Foundation invites its nearly 19,000 associates to support the Foundation’s efforts through an annual pledge campaign and by volunteering with partner organizations.
