SpartanNash, Goodwill Industries Expand Partnership for Earth Week
Last year, Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids presented locally based grocery distributor SpartanNash with its Goodwill Donated Goods Partner of the Year award in recognition of the company's Earth Week donation drive efforts, which resulted in the collection of 20,000 pounds of donations from 852 bags in one week.
This year, SpartanNash is upping its sustainability game by facilitating 38 Earth Week Goodwill donation drives at 25 corporate-owned retail stores, 10 distribution centers and three corporate offices across nine states. “We recognize that the way we operate has a direct effect on the natural environment, the communities we serve and our bottom line," said Dennis Eidson, CEO and president. "We continue to raise the bar on going green with responsible solutions, energy efficiencies, and sustainability initiatives aimed at respecting our environment and protecting our planet.”
Eidson, along with four executive VPs and eight VPs, will challenge associates to “Stuff the Truck” in honor of Earth Week. Alex DeYonker, EVP and chief legal officer, and Derek Jones, EVP and president of wholesale and distribution operations, will lead the donation drive at the Grand Rapids headquarters. In addition, Kathy Mahoney, EVP and general counsel, and Edward Brunot, EVP and president of MDV, will lead donation drives at SpartanNash’s Minneapolis service center and Norfolk facilities, respectively.
Eidson will join Kathy Crosby, CEO of Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids, to kick off stuffing the truck on April 21 at the SpartanNash's Grand Rapids headquarters.
This is the second company-wide Earth Week initiative since Grand Rapids-based Spartan Stores merged with Minneapolis-based Nash Finch in November 2013. This year, SpartanNash expanded its Goodwill partnership beyond Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia to also include Goodwill organizations from Georgia, Oklahoma, Nebraska, North Carolina, Indiana and Ohio. Last year, the drive involved six retail sites in West Michigan; this year calls for 25 Michigan – eight beyond the West Michigan footprint.
SpartanNash is also challenging its associates and customers to do some spring cleaning and donate their clothing, electronics and household items to Goodwill Industries, thereby reducing landfill waste, promoting reuse of products, and creating jobs through Goodwill’s Back to Work Programs.
Additional fun and educational Earth Week activities are planned company-wide at SpartanNash to celebrate the importance of sustainability:
- April 22/Earth Day: All Michigan retail stores will give away free green reusable Spartan Stores bags to customers. Associates will also celebrate by wearing green with jeans and participating in an Adopt-a-Road cleanup around the Grand Rapids corporate headquarters.
- Traveling Trophies: The retail store and distribution center that collects the most donations will earn an Earth Week Traveling Trophy and bragging rights for a year.
SpartanNash's core businesses include distributing food to military commissaries and exchanges and independent and corporate-owned retail stores located in 44 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Azores, Bahrain and Egypt. SpartanNash operates 162 supermarkets, primarily under the banners of Family Fare Supermarkets, No Frills, Bag 'n Save and Econofoods.