CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fifth Third Bank’s annual “Feeding Our Communities” initiative provided nearly 3 million meals in May to fight hunger across its 10-state footprint, triple its original goal. The month-long effort involved 4,000 hours volunteered by employees and monetary donations, including Shield of Recognition sales to employees and customers.
According to Feeding America, 40 million Americans – including more than 12 million children – live in households that lack the means to get enough nutritious food on a regular basis. As a result, they struggle with hunger at some time during the year. Food-insecure families, defined as those who have limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food, exist in every county in America.
Statistics like these inspire the Bank to make a difference in the communities that it serves.
Phil McHugh, executive vice president and head of Regional Banking, Business Banking and Wealth Management, and Fifth Third Day corporate champion, explained that the Bank is dedicated to assisting those who are less fortunate. “We serve our communities in numerous ways. During the month of May, we focused on fighting hunger. I am proud that, together, our employees and customers provided nearly 3 million meals to those in need. This is making our communities a Fifth Third better.”
In Greater Cincinnati, employees assembled “power packs,” which provide healthful, kid-friendly meals for at-risk children during the weekend. Employees in other parts of the region also participated in a month-long drive to collect nonperishable food at the Madisonville campus and participated in events with the Children’s Home and Madisonville Education and Assistance Center. In total, the region provided 307,089 meals.
“Every day, over 81,000 kids are among the 267,000 people in the Tristate area who are at risk for hunger,” said Kurt Reiber, president and CEO of the Freestore Foodbank. “Hungry children come to school at a disadvantage to learn, perform and focus in class. We appreciate Fifth Third Bank’s support as we work to give children the fuel they need to grow healthy and strong. Together, we can solve hunger by getting food to people who need it.”
The Bank kicked off its donation activities as part of activities to mark Fifth Third Day – May 3 or 5/3 on the calendar. For more than 25 years, Fifth Third has used this date to recognize the contribution of its employees, to thank its valued customers and to support the community. Over the last eight years, in honor of Fifth Third Day, the Bank has provided more than 8 million meals across the Midwest and Southeast to fight hunger.
This year, Fifth Third partnered with 75 organizations across its footprint to provide employee volunteer opportunities. Each region identified needs in its communities and designed volunteer efforts to support them. Some examples include:
- Chicago employees packed meals in support of Blessings in a Backpack, an organization that mobilizes communities, individuals, and resources to provide food on the weekends for elementary school children across America who might otherwise go hungry. Together, they provided 8,750 backpacks, which equals 35,000 meals, for children in need, as well as another 427,655 meals through donations and shield sales.
- Employees in Central Ohio worked with the Salvation Army to volunteer at its Columbus location and support its LemonAiD stand projects where “kids help kids” by having lemonade stands that donate proceeds to the Salvation Army. In total, the region provided 209,526 meals. The Salvation Army used 100% of the proceeds to help poverty-stricken children by providing hot meals and other support programs.
- In Tennessee, employees worked on a mobile food pantry, providing both 41,600 meals and financial literacy resources. The region provided an additional 34,835 meals through donations and shield sales.
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of NASCAR’s No. 17 Fifth Third Ford Mustang, joined our North Carolina employees to inspect and sort food for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. The team also stuffed backpacks with nutritious snacks and supplies for students in local afterschool programs, bringing the region’s total to 149,336 meals.
- Fifth Third employees across the Company purchased Shields of Recognition to recognize colleagues, accounting for 393,479 meals.
Fifth Third’s Feeding Our Communities initiative is part of the Bank’s work to improve lives. For more on Fifth Third’s corporate social responsibility efforts, read our 2018 Corporate Social Responsibility report.
About Fifth Third
Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the parent company of Fifth Third Bank, an Ohio-chartered bank. As of March 31, 2019, Fifth Third had $168 billion in assets and operated 1,207 full-service banking centers and 2,559 ATMs with Fifth Third branding in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina. In total, Fifth Third provides its customers with access to approximately 52,000 fee-free ATMs across the United States. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending and Wealth & Asset Management. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of March 31, 2019, had $394 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $44 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations through its Trust and Registered Investment Advisory businesses. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Fifth Third Bank was established in 1858. Deposit and Credit products are offered by Fifth Third Bank. Member FDIC.
