Price Chopper Chops Hunger

Each June, when Price Chopper celebrates its anniversary as the Kansas City metro area’s largest grocery store chain, it builds upon a growing commitment to feed the hungry, in addition to the typical anniversary specials and promotions.

Two years ago, to help commemorate its 30th anniversary, Price Chopper announced its new CHOP Hunger campaign. The chain of 49 locally owned stores pledged to provide 1 million meals in 12 months to Harvesters – The Community Food Network. That first year, Price Chopper collected enough food and funds to provide the equivalent of 1.3 million meals.

“In June 2010, we decided to set the bar higher, and raised our CHOP Hunger pledge for the following 12 months to 1.5 million meals,” says Casie Broker, director of marketing. “We are excited to announce that over the past year, the food and fund drives with which we partnered with Harvesters, along with support from our vendors, provided nearly 1.7 million meals. Our CHOP Hunger pledge for the next 12 months is 1.8 million meals."

Each year, when Price Chopper visits Harvesters to announce its CHOP Hunger results from the past year, owners, family members and employees spend time volunteering at the food bank. They sort food and other donated products collected in their stores.

Harvesters is the Kansas City area’s only food bank and is Feeding America’s 2011 Food Bank of the Year. Serving a 26-county area of northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas, Harvesters provides food and related household products to more than 620 not-for-profit agencies.

Price Chopper’s 49 stores are locally owned and operate by the Ball, Bresette, Cosentino, McKeever and Queen families.

IN THE PHOTO: Price Chopper owners, family members and employees gathered at Harvesters – The Community Food Network to announce they provided nearly 1.7 million meals over 12 months to feed hungry people in Kansas City.