Albertsons Launches 1st-of-Its-Kind Initiative to Tackle Childhood Hunger
The Albertsons Cos. Foundation is on a mission to stamp out childhood hunger through a new initiative aimed at driving awareness and boosting participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children Program (Summer EBT).
The new USDA program, also known as SUN Bucks, is available in 37 states and will provide grocery benefits to low-income families with school-aged children during the summer months. Families will receive $120 per eligible school-aged child to purchase groceries.
Albertsons Cos. Foundation is working with a coalition of leading nonprofit organizations to ensure as many children as possible have access to SUN Bucks. That advisory group includes representatives Feeding America, Food Research & Action Center, Gift Card Bank, Hunger Free America, mRelief, No Kid Hungry, Partnership for a Healthier America and WhyHunger.
“Childhood hunger is a complex problem that requires partners from across the food system to come together and collaborate,” said Christy Duncan Anderson, president and executive director of Albertsons Cos. Foundation. “Through the collective knowledge, expertise and extensive network of prominent nonprofits and the Albertsons Companies Foundation, we aim to connect with a greater number of families than we could individually.”
Involved organizations are using a surround-sound approach to the program, which is designed to reach parents and caregivers online and in their communities. The coalition also launched a new website, SummerEBT.org, to give families a simple, fast way to check if they are eligible and connect to their sign-up site.
As of Feb. 24, Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons operated 2,269 retail stores with 1,725 pharmacies, 402 associated fuel centers, 22 dedicated distribution centers and 19 manufacturing facilities. It has stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under more than 20 banners. Albertsons is No. 9 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company one of its Retailers of the Century.
