SALISBURY, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Food Lion Feeds' Meal Madness, a social media competition among Food Lion's 30 regional food bank partners, tips off this week, with the winning food bank receiving a 50,000 meal donation from the grocer's hunger relief initiative. The multi-round competition will run through April 3, with fans of the participating food banks voting for their favorite food bank on Food Lion's Facebook or Twitter pages and using "#FLFMealMadness" to advance the food bank on in the tournament.
"March is tournament time, and Food Lion Feeds is excited to join with our 30 regional food bank partners for a little friendly competition," said Emma Inman, director of external communications and community relations at Food Lion. "No matter who you're cheering for this March, ending hunger is a cause we can all rally around. Food Lion is proud to join with our food bank partners and help eliminate the difficult choices many of our neighbors face on a daily basis."
Each of Food Lion Feeds' 30 regional food bank partners participated in a play-in competition via their social media communities, which resulted in the 16 participating food banks participating in the final competition. The organizations were split into two brackets, one where food bank supporters can vote on Food Lion's Facebook page (@FoodLion) and one where voting will take place on the grocer's Twitter account (@FoodLion). Fans will be able to vote for which food bank advances to the next round, with each period of voting lasting 24-hours, until the two finalists are announced on April 1. All 30 food bank partners will receive a 500 meal donation from Food Lion Feeds for entering the competition, with first round winners receiving an additional 1,250 meal donation, second round winners receiving an additional 2,500 meal donation and third round winners receiving an additional 5,000 meal donation. The two food banks advancing to the championship round will receive an additional 10,000 meal donation, and the grand champion will receive an additional 30,000 meal donation from the grocer.
The 16 food banks competing in the tournament are the following (listed in alphabetical order):
- Capital Area Food Bank (Washington, D.C.)
- Chattanooga Area Food Bank (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
- Feeding America Southwest Virginia (Roanoke, Va.)
- Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC (Raleigh, N.C.)
- Food Bank of Delaware (Newark, Del.)
- Food Bank of the Albemarle (Elizabeth City, N.C.)
- Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore (Norfolk, Va.)
- Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank (Fredericksburg, Va.)
- Harvest Hope Food Bank (Columbia, S.C.)
- Lowcountry Food Bank (Charleston, S.C.)
- Manna Foodbank (Asheville, N.C.)
- Mountaineer Food Bank (Gassaway, W.V.)
- Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee (Maryville, Tenn.)
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina (Charlotte, N.C.)
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina (Fayetteville, N.C.)
- Virginia Peninsula Food Bank (Hampton, Va.)
Through Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion has made a commitment to provide 500 million meals to individuals and families in need by the end of 2020. Since the launch of Food Lion Feeds in 2014, the grocer has donated nearly 380 million meals through in-store campaigns, food rescue programs, equipment donations and associate volunteerism.
About Food Lion
Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, has more than 1,000 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 63,000 associates. By leveraging its longstanding heritage of low prices and convenient locations, Food Lion is working to own the easiest full shop grocery experience in the Southeast, anchored by a strong commitment to affordability, freshness and the communities it serves. Through Food Lion Feeds, the company has committed to provide 500 million meals to individuals and families in need by the end of 2020. Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Royal Ahold Delhaize Group. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.
