BJ’s Charitable Foundation Helps Expand Access to Quality Food with $1 Million Donation to Feeding America

Donation will support local food banks and address food insecurity

BJ’s Charitable Foundation helps expand access to quality food with $1 million donation to Feeding America on Oct. 29, 2019. (Photo: Business Wire)

WESTBOROUGH, Mass.--()--BJ's Wholesale Club (NYSE: BJ), a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States, today announced a $1 million donation from the BJ’s Charitable Foundation to Feeding America®, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. The donation is part of the retailer’s company-wide initiative that is working to end hunger in partnership with the Feeding America network of food banks.

BJ’s is dedicated to nourishing our communities and helping families thrive by providing access to basic essentials including fresh, nutritious food,” said Kirk Saville, executive director, BJ’s Charitable Foundation. “We’re thrilled to donate $1 million to Feeding America to improve access to quality food and invest in long-term solutions for hunger relief. This grant will support innovative new models that will help us reach food insecure families in the future and complements our retail food rescue program that donates millions of meals every year.”

As part of BJ’s $1 million donation, the company is awarding grants to ten Feeding America member food banks for programs that support direct food access in the Eastern United States, concentrating on the School Pantry Program and mobile pantries. Additional grants will go towards piloting new solutions to improve food access for families. Feeding America will also receive a grant for research, which will support program evaluation and local data collection to better understand the individuals served by food banks.

According to the USDA, one in nine people in the United States is food insecure. Through programs like mobile and School Pantries, the Feeding America network operates programs that expand access to fresh, nutritious meals in order to put food on families’ tables.

Feeding America is grateful to the BJ’s Charitable Foundation for its investment in existing and forward-thinking solutions that will help more communities fight hunger,” said Andy Wilson, Chief Development Officer at Feeding America. “Millions of people face hunger in communities across the country and Feeding America member food banks are on the ground supporting our neighbors in need. This generous donation will help food banks provide more meals to people who need it most.”

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 98 million pounds of food including meat, produce, dairy and bakery items – which is equal to more than 80 million meals* – to Feeding America member food banks.

To learn more about the 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 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 16 states.

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

About Feeding America

Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Contacts

Jennie Hardin
jhardin@bjs.com | 774-512-6978

Whitney Anderson
wanderson@bjs.com | 774-512-6053

Contacts

Jennie Hardin
jhardin@bjs.com | 774-512-6978

Whitney Anderson
wanderson@bjs.com | 774-512-6053