YMCA OF CATAWBA VALLEY RECEIVES DONATION FROM FOOD LION FEEDS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JULY 5, 2023
(Hickory, NC) – YMCA of Catawba Valley has received $2,700 from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to help feed neighbors in their time of need. The YMCA will use the gift to assist in feeding children in its childcare programs.
“We are grateful for this gift and the partnership with Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation. This gift will help us address the hunger and feeding needs of children as well as help allow us to provide nutritional information to the families,” said Nat Auten, President & CEO of the YMCA of Catawba Valley.
The agency’s areas of impact are Healthy Living, Youth Development and Social Responsibility. The YMCA’s children’s programs include pre-K childcare, where children prepare for kindergarten. Their summer day camp program allows kids to make new friends, enjoy swimming, participate in group tutoring and have fun. Their after-school program combines play, study and social-emotional character development. Altogether, in breakfasts, lunches and snacks, the YMCA of Catawba Valley provides nearly 180,000 meals per year. This gift will help further its impact on healthy living and youth development by helping purchase nutritional foods that will directly support food insecurity needs in the community.
The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation is committed to supporting families facing food insecurity across its 10-state footprint. Established in 2001, the foundation provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to feeding local neighbors in the communities it serves. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $17.8 million in grants.
About The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation
The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C. Established in 2001, the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to eliminating hunger. The charitable foundation has provided more than $17.8 million in grant funding, helping to nourish communities with fresh food for backpack programs, Kids Café’s, and other hunger-relief programs as
well as funding for long-term programs to help shorten the lines at food banks. The charitable foundation partners with Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief agency, in addition to local food agencies serving the 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states in which Food Lion operates. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com/in-our-community.
About Food Lion
Food Lion is an omnichannel retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors during the moments that matter most. More than 82,000 associates across 1,100+ stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. Through its ‘Count on me’ culture, Food Lion fosters a sense of belonging for all associates, promoting a diverse and inclusive environment that has supported LGBTQ+ equality for nearly two decades. Food Lion is the only company in the country to be named an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for 22 consecutive years. It also pioneered a food rescue program to support food-insecure neighbors. Through Food Lion Feeds, the retailer has donated more than 1 billion meals to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. Founded and based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com.
YMCA of Catawba Valley
The YMCA of Catawba Valley was established in 1969 to strengthen our community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Y engages over 25,000 men, women and children each year – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the community’s health and well-being and to provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. The Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. The Y mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. www.ymcacv.org.
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