Lowcountry Food Bank Horry County partner agencies receive food pantry makeovers from Food Lion Feeds

The Great Pantry Makeover Supports Neighbors in Need

Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB) partner agencies St. Delight Community Outreach and Churches Assisting People (CAP) received supplies and funds from Food Lion Feeds to help improve operations, increase their capacity to donate more food to food-insecure neighbors and purchase needed equipment. These partner agencies received the funds through Food Lion Feeds’ The Great Pantry Makeover effort. In addition to providing funds for the capital improvement project, local Food Lion associates provided support by donating volunteer hours as part of its largest associate volunteer initiative.

“Food Lion is instrumental in assisting CAP in reaching our neighbors in need facing hunger,” said Donna Bodie, CAP Executive Director. The pantry makeover helps create sustainability in operations and allows the pantry to serve more people. For example, new commercial refrigerators and additional food shelving will expand the amount of food the pantries can distribute within the community. Additionally, the pantry will receive a shelf-stable perishable and perishable donation to stock the pantry and more than $3,500 in Food Lion gift cards in support of the food pantry through the holidays and winter months.

The annual campaign takes place every September to align with Hunger Action Month, a time when Food Lion Feeds deepens its extensive existing partnership with Feeding America to raise awareness and inspire action to help people facing impossible choices resulting from food insecurity.

“We are proud to partner with Lowcountry Food Bank during Hunger Action Month to help raise awareness of this nationwide effort to help end hunger,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. “The Great Pantry Makeover provides our associates a great opportunity to connect with their neighbors while nourishing the towns and cities we serve.”

Now in its eighth year, Food Lion associates support these local efforts by volunteering to complete pantry improvements. Their volunteer hours include remodels ranging from painting and cleaning pantries to installing shelving, freezers, coolers and other equipment to expand the capacity for fresh fruits, vegetables and other products. In addition to performing the work, Food Lion associates will stock the pantry shelves with food.

About the Lowcountry Food Bank: Feed. Advocate. Empower.

The Lowcountry Food Bank serves the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina and distributed more than 40 million pounds of food in 2021. The Lowcountry Food Bank helps fight hunger by distributing food to more than 250 partner agencies including on-site meal programs, homeless shelters and emergency food pantries. The Lowcountry Food Bank advocates on behalf of those who experience hunger and helps empower people to make healthy and nutritious food choices. For more information, visit the Lowcountry Food Bank website.

About Food Lion

Food Lion is an omnichannel retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors during the moments that matter most. More than 82,000 associates across 1,100+ stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. Through its ‘Count on me’ culture, Food Lion fosters a sense of belonging for all associates, promoting a diverse and inclusive environment that has supported LGBTQ+ equality for nearly two decades. Food Lion is the only company in the country to be named an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for 21 consecutive years. It also pioneered a food rescue program to support food-insecure neighbors. Through Food Lion Feeds, the retailer has donated more than 970 million meals to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. 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.