SpartanNash Fields Support for Special Olympics, Summer Games

Midwest food solutions company continues 38-year partnership with fundraising campaign

5/5/2022

SpartanNash is kicking off its annual fundraising campaign for Special Olympics athletes and programs across eight states.

The SpartanNash Foundation is rolling out its annual fundraising campaign benefiting the Special Olympics. The effort will support programs and athletes, heading into the Summer Games.

Starting this week, shoppers can round up their purchase at checkout or donate $1, $5 or $10 to the cause. Contributions are accepted both in store and online via the company’s Fast Lane e-commerce channel. According to SpartanNash, 100% of all funds raised will go directly to Special Olympics partners.

Following the end of the campaign, the donations will be divided among participating states across the retailer’s footprint in Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Through 38 years of collaborations with the nonprofit organization, SpartanNash has given more than $9.7 million to the Special Olympics. In addition to providing monies, the company’s team members have shared thousands of hours of time volunteering.

SpartanNash employees will be taking part in this summer’s games, too. More than 25 Special Olympics athletes currently work for the company.

“We are excited to continue our longstanding partnership with Special Olympics and look forward to celebrating the athletes in person this year at the Summer Games,” said Adrienne Chance, SpartanNash’s SVP, communications, and executive director of the SpartanNash Foundation. “We are also proud to recognize our talented associate athletes who have been training for this competition for many months while continuing to work hard to serve our store guests.”

Tim Hileman, president and CEO of Special Olympics Michigan, shared his gratitude for the longtime support of SpartanNash and its customers. “Now is an exciting time for Special Olympics Michigan as our athletes return to Summer Games and celebrate together,” he remarked. “It’s our job to make sure they are armed with the tools they need to succeed, not only to compete, but to inspire, lead by example and demonstrate the power leading a unified lifestyle can have on all of us to realize our full potential. It is relationships with friends at companies like SpartanNash that allow our athletes to continue the forward momentum of spreading a message of hope and inclusion.”

SpartanNash’s core businesses include distributing grocery products to independent and chain retailers, its corporate-owned retail stores, and U.S. military commissaries and exchanges, as well as fresh produce distribution and fresh food processing. No. 39 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based company serves customer locations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Djibouti. SpartanNash also operates 146 supermarkets and employs 19,000 associates.