CLEVELAND — As many families face rising grocery costs and the possible loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, major Midwest grocers are stepping in to help. Meijer and Giant Eagle have each announced multi-million dollar donations to support food banks across their regions.
Meijer, based in Michigan, said it will donate $4 million through its Simply Give hunger-relief program to food banks and pantries within the company’s six-state footprint. The funds will be distributed among eight major partners, including the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, along with others in Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and Wisconsin.
Shoppers can contribute by purchasing $10 donation cards in-store, which are converted into Meijer food-only gift cards for local food pantries. From Nov. 23-29, the retailer will also donate the equivalent of one meal for every purchase of Meijer brand, Frederik’s, True Goodness, or Purple Cow food items, for up to four million meals in total.
Giant Eagle, headquartered in Pittsburgh, announced a $1 million donation through its Giant Eagle Foundation to food banks across its five-state operating area. The company said food banks are facing “unprecedented need” as grocery prices climb and federal food assistance runs out for many families.
Giant Eagle’s support comes on top of weekly fresh-food donations from its stores, the equivalent of 20 million meals each year, and ongoing checkout campaigns where customers can donate or round up their totals through Dec. 24. Every dollar raised goes directly to food banks in the same community where it’s collected.
Both grocers say their efforts are aimed at addressing rising food insecurity as federal and state assistance programs shrink and demand at food banks surges heading into the holidays.
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