Giant-Landover, Salvation Army Host Pre-holiday Campaign

Giant Food LLC and The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command are rolling out a summer “Need Knows No Season” giving campaign that will bring the organization’s familiar bell ringers and Red Kettles to 50 Giant Food stores in the greater Washington region. Donations will be accepted in front of select Giant stores Aug. 12 and Aug. 19 from 4 to 7 p.m. and August 13 and Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Further, Landover, Md.-based Giant will support the 2011 Red Kettle Campaign this holiday season that will enable The Salvation Army to solicit donations in front of all 174 Giant locations in the area Monday through Saturday for eight hours a day. The campaign starts Nov. 10, with bell ringers beginning to raise funds the following day.

“Giant Food has a long history of supporting the communities we’re so privileged to serve, and we’ve been a proud partner of The Salvation Army for many of our 75 years,” noted Don Sussman, interim president of Giant Food, an Ahold USA division that operates 174 supermarkets and employs about 22,000 associates. “We’re confident the August campaign will be a success as well as a strong prelude to our 2011 holiday season partnership.”

Last year, The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command assisted more than 62,000 individuals through a wide range of social services, among them providing food for the hungry, companionship to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, opportunities for underprivileged children, relief for disaster victims, and help for the disabled.

“We hope our supporters will help by donating desperately needed funds, allowing the Army to provide assistance to people in need throughout the greater Washington area,” said Major Steve Morris, The Salvation Army’s National Capital Area Commander. “The Salvation Army is especially grateful to Giant for renewing full access to our Red Kettles in front of their stores for the upcoming … campaign”

Earlier this year, to mark the chain’s 75th anniversary, Giant Food presented The Salvation Army with $75,000 to further the work of the organization’s divisions and corps across the grocer’s operating area of Maryland, Virginia, Washington and Delaware.