FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Donna B. Ragan, Donor Relations, Marketing & Communications Manager
Phone: 704-805-1724
Email: dragan@secondharvestmetrolina.org
Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation Awards Grant to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
Summers Without Hunger grant provides support to help end childhood hunger
Charlotte, NC – September 14, 2026 – Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina has received $200,000 from The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to help nourish children and families during the summer months. The Summers Without Hunger grant supports community feeding partners by helping increase access to nutritious food, nutritional education and resources for children and families experiencing food insecurity.
“The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation and Food Lion are extraordinary partners to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina (SHFBM) and have been for many years, standing alongside us in our mission to end hunger in the communities we serve. Their commitment goes far beyond generous food and financial donations – it reflects a shared belief that every family deserves access to nutritious food and the opportunity to thrive. We are incredibly grateful for our longstanding partnership, their dedicated associates, and their continued investment in our neighbors. Together, we are making a meaningful and lasting difference for families throughout the Carolinas,” notes Kay Carter, CEO at SHFBM.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina helps feed people by serving as the central hub that sources, warehouses and distributes food throughout a 24-county region of North and South Carolina. Rather than working alone, the Food Bank supplies a network of over 950 partner agencies, including emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, senior programs, low-income daycare programs, senior centers, and animal rescues. The organization helps feed our neighbors in need by bringing together donated food, financial resources, volunteers and community partnerships and turning them into millions of nutritious foods for children, seniors, veterans and pets with the goal not simply to provide more food – but to feed more people better food. In FY25-26, the Food Bank distributed almost 94 million pounds of food, which included over 63 million pounds in fresh produce, meat, and dairy.
The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation is committed to supporting families facing food insecurity across Food Lion’s 10-state footprint. Established in 2001, the Foundation provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to feeding local neighbors in the communities it serves. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $25 million in grant funding to help nourish communities with fresh food.
About Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
As part of Feeding America, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina - serves 24 counties in North and South Carolina. In FY 2025-2026, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina distributed almost 94 million pounds of food and household items, which included over 63 million pounds in fresh produce, meat, and dairy, to over 950 hunger feeding agencies including emergency pantries, soup kitchens, senior programs, shelters and low-income daycares. Follow the Food Bank on: Facebook, X, Instagram, Linkedin, and YouTube.
About The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation
The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C. Established in 2001, the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to eliminating hunger. The charitable foundation has provided more than $25 million in grant funding, helping to nourish communities with fresh food for backpack programs, Kids Café’s and other hunger-relief programs as well as funding for long-term programs to help shorten the lines at food banks. The charitable foundation partners with Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief agency, in addition to local food agencies serving the 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states in which Food Lion operates. For more information, visit foodlion.com/pages/food-lion-feeds.
About Food Lion
Food Lion is an omnichannel grocery retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors. More than 82,000 associates across 1,100+ stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. With a focus on hunger relief, Food Lion is a pioneer in food rescue. Since 2014, the company’s hunger relief platform Food Lion Feeds has donated more than 1.5 billion meals to those who are food insecure. The retailer has committed to donate 3 billion meals by 2032. Founded and based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com.
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