Meijer Double Match Days Boost Food Pantries

Midwestern superstore retailer Meijer will double match every customer's $10 Simply Give donation made Sept. 3-5 in support of Hunger Action Month and in an effort to restock its food pantry partners' shelves that were depleted over the summer months.

"Over the summer, our food pantry partners see an uptick in clients because federal school lunch programs are not available to children. As a result, our fall campaign is an important time to focus on restocking those shelves," Co-Chairman Hank Meijer said. "The Simply Give program has helped fill a void in the communities we serve thanks to the continued support and generosity of our customers, team members and pantry partners."

As pat of its ongoing hunger relief efforts, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer will stretch every customer's $10 Simply Give donation further during its Double Match Days. That means for every $10 donation card purchase, Meijer will contribute $20, resulting in a total $30 donation.

Raised $16M since 2008

Meijer began its Simply Give program in November 2008 as a way to help restock the shelves of local food pantries throughout the Midwest. Since then, the program has generated more than $16 million for those food pantry partners to distribute to hungry families.

Those meals stay local, said Janet Emerson, EVP of retail operations for Meijer. "We know how important it is to our customers that their generous donations remain in their local communities," Emerson said. "That's why each of our stores partner with a local food pantry during the Simply Give campaign."

During each Simply Give campaign, customers are encouraged to purchase $10 Simply Give donation cards that are then converted into Meijer food-only gift cards and given to the food pantry selected by the store. The Simply Give program runs three times a year; the fall campaign will run through Sept. 12. Customers can find Simply Give donation cards on fixtures near the checkout, and grocery and pharmacy departments.