Giant Food 'Lends a Hand for Hunger'

Giant Food is stepping up efforts to fight food insecurity at a time when many Americans are suffering.

The grocery chain has launched "Lend a Hand for Hunger" to benefit five Washington, D.C., area food banks — Capital Area Food Bank, Maryland Food Bank, Food Bank of Delaware, Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank and Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.

The food banks are all part of the Feeding America network, which projects that one in six people nationally could face food insecurity in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grocery retail giving campaigns such as Giant Food's are seen as critically important this year. Use of food pantries is on the rise, nationally and locally, as a many jobless people prepare for the upcoming holiday season.

The campaign, running now through Dec. 15 in all 164 Giant stores, gives customers an opportunity to get involved in supporting their neighbors by rounding up their change on their in-store purchases to the nearest dollar amount at checkout. Giant Food has also donated 6,000 Nature's Promise turkeys that will assist in feeding over 72,000 people this holiday season.

"We are pleased to continue the annual tradition of supporting our food bank partners in the form of turkey donations and are excited to give our customers a new opportunity to support their neighbors in need as well," said Ira Kress, president of Giant Food. "Giant values the importance of being a good neighbor and we are grateful that our customers continue to support us in this mission at a time when it is so vital."

Giant is also teaming up with Interactions Marketing, which will supply food donations from vendor partners such as RX Bar, Unilever and Kraft.

Since 2011, Giant has donated nearly 40,000 turkeys to its local Feeding America food banks in efforts to alleviate hunger around the holidays for families and individuals in the region. 

Giant also announced it will be observing normal hours throughout the holiday season to provide convenient shopping times and a one-stop-shop for grocery needs in-store. While demand for online grocery remains high, customers can also safely and efficiently browse aisles, fill their carts, and schedule a contactless Giant Pickup or Giant Delivers order, said the company.

Landover, Maryland-based Giant Food operates 164 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia with approximately 20,000 associates. Parent company Ahold Delhaize USA is No. 11 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Walmart U.S. is No. 1 on PG’s list, and Family Dollar, a banner of Chesapeake, Virginia-based Dollar Tree, is No. 32.