Teaming up to tackle hunger on college campuses, Food Lion Feeds is partnering with 35 colleges and universities, including Georgia Southern, to help nourish college students and address food insecurity through its annual Sack to Give Back program.
As part of its ongoing efforts to provide hunger relief, Food Lion Feeds will donate 1,000 meals (up to 30,000 meals per school) for every quarterback sack made by the participating institution. The effort benefits campus food pantries or affiliated Feeding America® partner food banks, where each school is located throughout Food Lion’s 10-state operating area.
Food Lion Feeds was founded in 2014 by Food Lion to address food insecurity in the towns and cities it serves.
The Sack to Give Back program also kicks off in September to align with Hunger Action Month, a time when Food Lion Feeds deepens its extensive existing relationship with Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. The partnership highlights the impact food can have on a person’s life and inspires action to end hunger in their communities. Since 2019, the Sack to Give Back program has resulted in more than 3 million meals* donated to local campus food pantries and food banks across Food Lion’s 10-state footprint.
According to a report published in November 2023 by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation, college students experience food insecurity at higher rates than the general population. Estimates put students between 33-51% food insecure compared to nearly 10% among U.S. adults.
“At Food Lion, we believe no one should have to choose between dinner and rent or gas and groceries,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. “That’s why we’re passionate about helping end hunger in our communities. Through this annual effort, we help nourish college students who experience hunger, increasing access to nutritious food and setting students up for success.”
Through Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion has helped to provide more than 1.2 billion meals to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. For more information on Food Lion Feeds’ commitment to ending hunger, visit foodlion.com/feeds.
*$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local partner food banks.