BJ’s Charitable Foundation Donates $50,000 to Support the Connecticut Food Bank’s Child Hunger Impact Program

BJ’s donation will expand direct access to fresh food for local families

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. & EAST HAVEN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BJ's Wholesale Club (NYSE: BJ), a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States, today announced a $50,000 donation to Connecticut Food Bank, a Feeding America^® member food bank. The donation from the BJ’s Charitable Foundation is part of the retailer’s initiative to help end hunger in New England.

“BJ’s is dedicated to nourishing our communities and helping families thrive by improving access to basic essentials including fresh, nutritious food,” said Kirk Saville, executive director, BJ’s Charitable Foundation. “We’re thrilled to donate $50,000 to Connecticut Food Bank to support its Child Hunger Impact Program. This grant will help increase access and feed more families in food insecure communities.”

BJ’s grant to the Connecticut Food Bank is part of its recent $1 million donation to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. The donation will support programs that expand direct access to food, including the School Pantry, mobile market, and BackPack programs. With these programs, families facing food insecurity will be able to more easily access fresh, nutritious food to help put meals on the table.

“One in nine people in Connecticut face food insecurity, including one in six children,” said Valarie Shultz-Wilson, CEO of Connecticut Food Bank. “With BJ’s generous support, we will be able to increase the amount of fresh, healthy food that is delivered through our Child Hunger Impact Program to children and families in need.”

BJ’s donation supports the Connecticut Food Bank’s Child Hunger Impact Program (CHIP), which seeks to ensure that children and households struggling with food insecurity have access to a reliable, monthly resource of fresh product, healthful grains, dairy products, and proteins. CHIP focuses on different programs, including Mobile Farmers Markets and School Pantries, to best serve families in need and make a meaningful difference in their lives.

BJ’s grant marks the third yearly $1 million donation to the Feeding America network from the BJ’s Charitable Foundation. Since 2011, BJ’s has provided ongoing support to the Feeding America network through the BJ’s Charitable Foundation and BJ’s Feeding Communities program, helping local food banks successfully expand their programs to reach wider audiences.

BJ’s Feeding Communities program is a food rescue partnership, where the company donates all unsold produce to Feeding America member food banks in its footprint, helping to get wholesome food onto the plates of more families. To date, BJ’s has donated more than 100 million pounds of food including meat, produce, dairy and bakery items – which equals more than 84 million meals^* – to Feeding America member food banks.

To learn more about BJ's Wholesale Club, visit BJs.com.

^*Based on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines, a meal is equal to 1.2 pounds of food and grocery product.

About BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, BJ's Wholesale Club is a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States. The company currently operates 217 clubs and 144 BJ's Gas® locations in 17 states.

The Company’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BJ).

About Connecticut Food Bank
Connecticut Food Bank is committed to alleviating hunger in Connecticut by providing food, raising awareness of food insecurity, and advocating with and for people in need. Connecticut Food Bank partners with the food industry, food growers, donors, and volunteers to distribute nutritious food through a network of 600 partners and programs in Fairfield, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, and Windham counties, where nearly 270,000 people struggle with hunger. Last year, Connecticut Food Bank distributed food to help provide almost 22.5 million meals. Visit us on the web at www.ctfoodbank.org and follow @CTFoodBank on social media.