Hannaford Launches Initiative to Feed Hungry

Hannaford Supermarkets has launched its annual Hannaford Helps Fight Hunger, a charitable campaign focused on helping feed people who do not have access to enough nutritious food.

Hannaford Helps Fight Hunger is a partnership between the supermarket and its customers to provide food and money donations to local pantries and regional food banks. “This program makes it convenient for Hannaford customers to support neighbors who are struggling,” said Eric Blom, company spokesman. “At a time when the need continues to grow, Hannaford Helps Fight Hunger allows people to make donations right at the supermarket and purchase food items that trigger matching donations by Hannaford.”

"The New Horizons for New Hampshire food pantry in Manchester, N.H., helps about 900 families a month," said executive director Charlie Sherman.  "The need has been growing by 10 percent to 15 percent a year, as many people remain unemployed or have been forced to take lower-wage jobs than in the past."

“We see regular folks who tell me that they never thought they would have to come to a place like this for help,” Sherman said. “New Hampshire people can make a real difference in their lives through the Hannaford Helps Fight Hunger program. When a customer contributes, they help feed a family that might otherwise go without.”

Hannaford Helps Fight Hunger has three parts:

• Hannaford Helping Hands: Customers purchase a box of food staples for $10, and choose whether to have the box delivered to the local pantry or to donate it personally. As thanks for the donation, each customer receives a book containing more than $20 in coupons. Last year, Hannaford customers donated 75,000 Helping Hands boxes.
• Register Donation: From Dec. 2 through Dec. 31, customers may donate money to their state food bank, in $5 increments, right at the register. Last holiday season, Hannaford customers made $99,437 in register donations.
• Buy One, Give One: Starting Nov. 25 and going through Dec. 15, customers can trigger Hannaford donations to food banks by purchasing a particular product on specific days. For each item purchased, Hannaford will donate an identical product to the state or regional food bank. Last year, Hannaford donated 68,431 boxes of spaghetti, 40,542 cans of tuna, and 35,164 cans of soup through this initiative.

Each Hannaford store determines which local food pantries to support. Stores compete with one another to encourage donations, and those supermarkets with the highest level of giving receive additional cash donations from Hannaford to be contributed locally.

“Hannaford works all year to help fight hunger in the communities we serve, with regular donations, awareness efforts and other support,” said Blom. “We are particularly proud of the generosity shown by customers during the holiday season through Hannaford Helps Fight Hunger.”

Scarborough, Maine-based Hannaford Supermarkets operates 181 stores in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.