Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, has launched a new “Break from Hunger” program to provide accessible, healthy meal options to ensure no child goes hungry. Now through Labor Day, customers and associates ages 17 and younger can purchase a specially prepared “Student Summer Lunch Pack” meal box at any Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket or Winn-Dixie deli department for only $2.
According to Feeding America®, 1 in 6 children across the United States may experience food insecurity. As the back-to-school season approaches, it is crucial to help alleviate this issue as insufficient nutrition can damage a child’s growth and development and can negatively impact their ability to thrive in academic and social situations.
Offering the “Student Summer Lunch Packs” at a low cost through its “Break from Hunger” program allows SEG to expand its support for combating hunger in the Southeast and provide relief to customers at a time most needed. The nourishing meal boxes will include either a ham or turkey sandwich, chips, a fresh fruit item and a bottle of water. Customers can simply request a “Student Summer Lunch Pack” from the deli at any local Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket or Winn-Dixie store. The SEG Gives Foundation will also donate $1 to Feeding America for each purchase of a “Break from Hunger” meal with the goal to donate the equivalent of one million meals into the community in partnership with Feeding America network food banks.
Raymond Rhee, Chief People Officer of Southeastern Grocers, said, “The challenges that our communities have faced during these past few years have magnified the struggle of many families to feed their children during the summer months. Through our ‘Break from Hunger’ program and continued partnership with Feeding America, we aim to provide children with the nutritious food they need for a healthy life. We want to do everything we can to get food on the tables of our neighbors who need a helping hand – now more than ever.”
The five Southeastern states SEG serves, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi, rank among the top 20 for highest child poverty rates in the country with three states falling within the top five. These disheartening numbers highlight a critical need, and SEG is committed to partnering with organizations that focus on creating equitable, long-term solutions to food insecurity.
SEG and the SEG Gives Foundation remain steadfast in their commitment to giving back to local communities in great times of need. Recently, the grocer and its charitable arm donated $140,000 to seven Feeding America network food banks in the Southeast to directly help fund hunger-relief initiatives. Additionally, last year alone, SEG and the SEG Gives Foundation donated more than $700,000 back into local communities to help alleviate food insecurity.