Giant donates 10K turkeys to food banks
Company also plans in-store food drive
CARLISLE » The Giant Co. has announced the donation of 10,000 turkeys to food banks across its geographic footprint.
The donation is an annual tradition for the grocery chain, but this year’s turkey donation ahead of Thanksgiving is a record number.
The turkeys are being donated to 28 food banks across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, to help ensure families can celebrate the holiday season with a “fulfilling meal,” according to a press release.
“Every family should be able to celebrate the season gathered around a table, sharing a meal and making lasting memories,” Nicholas Bertram, president, The Giant Co., said in the release. “In a time when the rates of people struggling with hunger are on the rise — including an alarming 80% increase in food insecurity for children — there’s a greater need for companies like ours to step up their efforts. That’s why in addition to increasing the number of turkeys we’re donating, we’re announcing a new, chain-wide food drive. We all need to do our part to help our neighbors this holiday season.”
Among the food banks receiving donations in the Greater Philadelphia region are:
• Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank (Reading)
• Lord’s Pantry of Downingtown (Exton)
•Manna on Main Street (North Wales)
• Philabundance (Philadelphia)
• Project Outreach (Royersford)
• Salvation Army Reading (Reading)
• Upper Darby Food Covert (Wynnewood)
• West Chester Food Cupboard (West Chester)
The grocery chain will also launch a new, in-store food drive later this month, to encourage its customers to become “part of the solution to hunger,” by donating non-perishable food.
Starting Friday, Nov. 27, through Thursday, Dec. 3, Giant customers will find a bin at each store entrance where they can drop off non-perishable products that will be donated to local food pantries. Some of the most requested items by food banks include peanut butter, jelly, canned tuna, whole grain pasta, oatmeal, and canned soups, according to the company.
In addition, Giant Co. employees will volunteer throughout November at 10 food banks, packing hunger relief boxes and organizing and restocking shelves.
Among the area food banks Giant employees will volunteer are:
• Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank
• Manna on Main St.
• Philabundance
• West Chester Food Cupboard “All of our tables will look different as we socially distance this Thanksgiving and holiday season,” Bertram added. “The one constant is that we should all have food on the table — our efforts over the next few weeks are one piece of that puzzle.”