BJ’s Charitable Foundation Donates $50,000 to Support the Community FoodBank of New Jersey’s School Pantry Program

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

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. & HILLSIDE, N.J.--(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 the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, 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 Jersey.

“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 the Community FoodBank of New Jersey to support its school pantry program. This grant will help increase access and feed more families in food insecure communities.”

BJ’s grant to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey 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.

“About 900,000 of our New Jersey neighbors struggle with hunger, including more than 260,000 kids,” said Carlos Rodriguez, President and CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “With BJ's generous support, we can provide more nutritious food to help children throughout the state learn, grow, and reach their full potential.”

As the largest anti-hunger and anti-poverty organization in the state, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey has provided people with food, help and hope for 45 years. In 2018, the FoodBank distributed food for more than 50 million meals and 25 percent of all food donated was fresh produce. The FoodBank addresses hunger as a health issue - providing more fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and medical screenings to inspire positive lifestyles.

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 perishable food 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 equals more than 81 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 219 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 Community FoodBank of New Jersey
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), a member of Feeding America®, has been delivering food, help and hope across the state for 45 years. Last year, CFBNJ provided nutritious food for over 50 million meals through its network of more than 1,000 community partners including pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, mobile pantries, and child and senior feeding programs. For our hungry neighbors, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey is the powerful agent of change that fills the emptiness caused by hunger and provides resources that are essential to earning a sustainable living. For additional ways to help you can visit CFBNJ.org.