JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Southeastern Grocers, Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, pays tribute to teachers throughout the Southeast and announces an amplified commitment to nurture students inside and outside of the classroom and support creative, inclusive environments for future leaders to grow and thrive.
As the school year begins, Southeastern Grocers wants to show appreciation for educators returning to work, both in person and virtually, and help generate positive back-to-school energy. The grocer will donate more than $272,000 in gift cards to local school partners throughout the Southeast to help support teachers, staff and students prepare for the unique school year. As a special thank you to teachers, each BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery store will decorate its entrance path with a creative chalk tribute in honor of their commitment to educating and protecting our youth.
Anthony Hucker, President and CEO of Southeastern Grocers, said, “At Southeastern Grocers, we have a rich history of supporting educational facilities, teachers and students. It is our privilege as community members to expand educational opportunities for our young neighbors and future leaders. As a grocer, we remain dedicated to ensuring our teachers are supported and our students have access to nutritious meals inside and outside of the classroom to fuel young hearts and minds.”
The grocer’s addition of education as the SEG Gives Foundation’s fourth charitable pillar directly aligns with the Foundation’s support of causes that are important to the communities it serves as it works to strengthen and improve the lives of its neighbors. Since its founding, the SEG Gives Foundation has remained steadfast in its commitment to alleviate hunger throughout the Southeast, aid in disaster relief efforts and support military service members and their families.
This latest commitment to foster the education, development and the wellness of children is in addition to the grocer’s efforts to combat the rise of childhood hunger this summer. The SEG Gives Foundation has also pledged more than $100,000 to Feeding America’s network of partner food banks throughout the Southeast. The donation of $15,000 each will help provide needed support for continued summer hunger relief efforts to seven Feeding America partner food banks, including:
- Feeding Northeast Florida – Jacksonville
- Feeding Tampa Bay – Tampa
- Feeding South Florida – Miami
- Feeding the Valley – Albany, Georgia
- Feeding the Gulf Coast – Theodore, Alabama
- Second Harvest Food Bank Feeding South Louisiana – New Orleans
- Harvest Hope Food Bank – Columbia, S.C.
In addition, generous BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie customers recently donated more than $213,000 in support of Feeding America and its network of food banks through SEG’s Positive Change Round Up Campaign introduced to help minimize the impact of the current nationwide coin shortage. Customers were encouraged to round up their total grocery bill to the nearest dollar at check out from July 24 through Aug. 4 to help in the fight against hunger, an ongoing issue that has increased an estimated 46% during the pandemic.
Southeastern Grocers has a longstanding relationship with Feeding America. Together with its charitable foundation and generous customers, the grocer has donated more than $2.5 million in addition to tens of millions of pounds of food to Feeding America through various charitable programs since 2017.
During the school year, 22 million children receive free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program. However, only 1 in 6 children still have access to meals when school is out during the summer1. Feeding America estimates the need will rise to 1 in 4 children who will experience food insecurity this year due to the pandemic2. Those in need are encouraged to contact their local food bank for information on upcoming food pantries in their area.
About Southeastern Grocers
Southeastern Grocers, Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the U.S. SEG grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies serve communities throughout the seven southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie are well-known and well-respected regional brands with deep heritages, strong neighborhood ties, proud histories of giving back, talented and caring associates and strong commitments to providing the best possible quality and value to customers. For more information, visit www.bi-lo.com, www.frescoymas.com, www.harveyssupermarkets.com and www.winndixie.com.
About SEG Gives Foundation
SEG Gives Foundation is the charitable arm of Southeastern Grocers, Inc. (SEG), parent company of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores. The SEG Gives Foundation aligns giving with causes that are priorities to the communities SEG serves, including the fight against hunger, support for military service members and their families, relief to those affected by extreme weather and natural disasters and quality educational opportunities for students. Southeastern Grocers strives to be ingrained in its communities and, through the SEG Gives Foundation, better the lives of its customers and neighbors.
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1 Feeding America Summer Food Service Programs
2 Food Insecurity and Poverty in the US - Feeding America
