BALTIMORE — Giant Food announced a donation of $1,550,000 to address the needs of its communities during the coronavirus crisis.
The donations will be directed to a variety of Giant's nonprofit partners across its service region to provide support to those in need and struggling with access to necessary food and supplies during this challenging time.
"Our nonprofit partners are under extraordinary pressure right now and need everyone's support to continue their vital services," said Ira Kress, Interim President of Giant. "We're here to assist them in any way that we can during this unprecedented situation, and we hope that our customers will join us in giving back and helping their neighbors in need."
The $1,550,000 in funds will be distributed as follows:
- $550,000 and 1,200 hams, previously announced, to be given to Giant's five local Feeding America food banks: Capital Area Food Bank, Maryland Food Bank, Food Bank of Delaware, Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank and Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.
- $500,000 to Johns Hopkins University to support coronavirus response efforts, patient care and research for teams working to understand the nature of the virus and develop effective detection, diagnosis, treatment and prevention methods.
- $500,000 divided among local nonprofits throughout Giant's communities including: Save the Children and No Kids Hungry, Meals on Wheels, Blessings in a Backpack, Boys & Girls Club and Martha's Table.
Giant is also offering customers the opportunity to get involved in supporting their neighbors that may be affected by the pandemic or those who are food insecure through two ways:
- Flexible Rewards Program: Announced last week, members of Giant's Flexible Rewards Program can designate the value of their Flexible Points for dollar donations to Giant's five Feeding America food bank partners. When logging into their rewards account at Giantfood.com or through the Giant app, customers will see options for three different redemptions: 100 points for a $1 donation, 500 points for $5, and 1,000 points for $10. Members will be able to make additional donations as desired throughout the offering of the program and one hundred percent of the donations will go to those in financial need of groceries and supplies. Giant will distribute the donated funds on a weekly basis to the food banks so that benefits are available to individuals and families in need as quickly as possible. Those looking to participate in the Flexible Rewards program may sign up for free, or upgrade at Giantfood.com
- Supporting Your Neighbor: Customers will be offered the opportunity to "Round Up" the change on their in-store purchases to the nearest dollar amount. The change will be donated to Feeding America food bank partners across the region.
To learn more about Giant's efforts to support hunger relief and the needs of its communities during this challenging time, visit Giantfood.com.
