Publix, Fresh Thyme Launch Season of Giving
Publix Super Markets and Fresh Thyme Farmers Market are pledging to fight hunger in America and beyond with two new campaigns.
Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix, which has donated more than $2 billion in food since 2009, says that it will donate an additional $2 billion in food over the next 10 years.
Each day, through the company's food recovery program, Publix associates gather foods that are no longer salable and donate them to more than 100 Feeding America member food banks and other nonprofit organizations. Publix’s program allows food banks to offer nourishing options to their clients.
“For over a decade, Publix has partnered with Feeding America and member food banks to help provide nourishing food to our neighbors in need. We are grateful for our long-standing partnership and for Publix’s commitment to fighting hunger,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Chicago-based hunger relief organization Feeding America.
Downers Grove, Ill.-based Fresh Thyme is also helping to feed the hungry by giving customers the opportunity to round off their total purchase to the nearest dollar to benefit Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Vitamin Angels, Fresh Thyme’s charity partner of more than four years. Funds from the roundup campaign will go toward providing undernourished pregnant women and children in the United States and around the world with essential vitamins and minerals.
To date, Vitamin Angels and Fresh Thyme have reached more than 2.6 million at-risk mothers and kids through their partnership. The December campaign goal is to raise more than $300,000 and reach an additional 1.2 million recipients.
“This campaign is a great way for us to engage our team members and customers in a mission we truly care about as an organization,” said Jonathan Lawrence, Fresh Thyme’s senior director of grocery and natural living. “We are proud to partner with Vitamin Angels and give the gift of nutrition to those who need it most through our December roundup campaign and our private label donations.”
Publix operates more than 1,200 grocery stores in seven southeastern states in the Southeast. The Lakeland, Fla.-based company is No. 5 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.
As of the end of 2018, Fresh Thyme operated 75 stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
