Publix’s ‘Sprinkle Joy’ Effort Aids Nonprofits

Publix Super Markets Inc. made a $25,000 donation to Food For All, a nonprofit charitable organization, as part of the grocer’s “Sprinkle Joy” holiday campaign. The donation will help five nonprofit’s in Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix’s geographic footprint: Action Ministries, Atlanta; KidsPACK, Lakeland; Flipany, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, Charlotte, N.C.; and Second Harvest Food Bank, Jacksonville, Fla.

Sprinkle Joy, which rolled out to Publix’s Facebook page and Twitter account on Dec. 9, asked consumers to make virtual holiday cookies as a way to bring people together during the holiday season. With each cookie decorated by program participants, the virtual cookie jar filled up, thereby unlocking a charitable gift.

“The holidays are a time to celebrate with family and friends and to create those special moments that sprinkle the most joy in our lives,” noted Maria Brous, Publix’s director of media and community relations. “This holiday season, we wanted the joy and service our customer experience in our stores to be extended to our online social platforms and communities we serve. Inviting our customers to give back and make a difference to those in most need this holiday season has been the most rewarding experience. We have the best raving fans in the business!”

Also in Stores

The Sprinkle Joy theme extended through physical store locations, with the Publix Bakery producing cookie-decorating kits, the company’s 1,080 store managers randomly awarding 25 customers a $5 Publix gift card each, and Publix Aprons posting three cookie recipes online.

Publix also afforded its Facebook fans a sneak peak of the chain’s holiday TV commercial, “Christmas Visitor” on Dec. 3, two days before the ad's official TV premiere.

Privately owned and operated by its 165,500 employees, Publix has 1,081 stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee.