BJ’s Charitable Foundation Donates $50,000 to Support the Maryland Food Bank’s School Pantry Program

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

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. & BALTIMORE--(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 Maryland 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 Maryland.

“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 Maryland Food Bank 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 Maryland 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 every seven children in Maryland is currently at risk of facing hunger,” said Carmen Del Guercio, President and CEO of the Maryland Food Bank. “With BJ’s generous support, our School Pantry Program will be able to feed thousands more Maryland children and families, helping to remove barriers to success for students while fostering stronger bonds between families, schools, and the local community.”

For more than 40 years, the Maryland Food Bank has partnered with communities across the state to distribute food to children, seniors, veterans and hard-working families. In 2018, the food bank’s statewide network of food assistance provided the equivalent of 110,000 meals every day (over 40 million meals annually), meeting the immediate needs of hungry Marylanders while simultaneously working to create pathways out of hunger.

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 Maryland Food Bank
The Maryland Food Bank is a nonprofit hunger-relief organization dedicated to feeding people, strengthening communities, and ending hunger for more Marylanders by partnering with local organizations from the western mountains to the Eastern Shore. To learn more about the Maryland Food Bank, visit www.mdfoodbank.org.