Food Lion Feeds recently wrapped up its seventh annual Orange Bag campaign and was able to provide more than 14.8 million meals to individuals facing hunger across its 10-state operating area. This initiative, in partnership with Feeding America and local food banks, allows customers to support hunger relief through purchases of specially marked orange bags and cash donations. Since its launch in 2019, the campaign has contributed a total of 25 million meals to 33 food bank locations. Food Lion Feeds, established in 2014, aims to combat food insecurity and has already helped provide over 1 billion meals, with a goal of reaching 1.5 billion by 2025. The campaign reflects growing food insecurity in the U.S., where more than 47 million people, including 13 million children, lived in food-insecure households in 2023. Food Lion emphasizes its continued commitment to ensuring access to nutritious food for all. Now more than ever, it’s going to be extremely important for the private sector to do everything it can to support those in need. News crossed my desk as I was writing this column that an agency within Health & Human Services called the Administration for Community Living (ACL) is being axed by the government. Included under the ACL umbrella of services is Meals on Wheels, along with other services supporting older adults and people with disabilities. In fiscal 2022, ACL provided more than 261 million meals to older adults, assistance such as respite care to more than 1.5 million family caregivers, and independent-living services to nearly 250,000 people with disabilities. The supermarket industry continues to do its part to help alleviate hunger, and I salute them for that.
The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has opened registration for its 2025 Convention, scheduled for October 18-21 at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando. Expected to draw more than 1,700 attendees and host more than 6,500 business meetings, the convention will serve as a central hub for industry professionals including retailers, manufacturers, and logistics providers. Highlights include the “Taste of Excellence” product showcase, the Café NFRA networking space, and sessions featuring emerging leaders from NFRA’s First Penguin Next Generation Leadership Program. Renowned chef and TV personality Andrew Zimmern will deliver the Tuesday keynote address. Additional convention events will include the induction of new members into the Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame and the presentation of the Golden Penguin Awards, recognizing excellence in marketing within the industry. More details and registration can be found at NFRAConvention.org.
I hadn’t been to a new store opening for quite a while, so I tagged along with Jeff last month to attend the ribbon cutting for the newest Giant Food, a sparkling 66,000 square foot supermarket in Bowie replacing another much older store in that berg. Wow!!! The store had everything customers could want, and the area surrounding the shopping center where it’s located is basically just one big construction zone as development in the area is in full swing. Lots of housing and other centers are being built, as well as a new sports facility. Good luck to new store manager Debbie Gwynn and her team – I’m thinking they will be very busy!
Mark your calendars for the Children’s Cancer Foundation’s 41st annual gala which will be held November 1 at Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenbelt, MD. CCF is committed to funding locally-based researchers, programs and facilities until every child is assured a healthy cancer-free future. And, sadly, the aforementioned cuts at HHS will have a huge impact on the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation’s leading medical research agency which funds research into cancer, Alzheimer’s, HIV and other devastating diseases at its own facilities and at universities and labs around the country. In light of this devastating development, the monies that CCF can raise will be more important than ever. Currently Gala sponsorships are available and the registration form can be found at childrenscancerfoundation.org/ events/gala.
On the same subject, a quick reminder about the Alzheimer’s Association’s Memory Ball Dancing Stars event themed “The Great American Road Trip” which will be held April 26 from 6:00-11:00 pm at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, which I wrote about in a recent column. The event is lots of fun, and it provides another opportunity to support an organization that is working to alleviate a devastating disease that affects so many people these days but which will likely lose much of its government funding. This year, Cynthia Volk, director of deli and bakery merchandising at Giant Food, will be one of the Dancing Stars. At her page on the Memory Ball website she writes that she is dancing this year because her grandmother is battling the disease, which motivated her to take action and help raise awareness as well as “inspire others to support the Alzheimer’s Association’s mission in accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.” To vote for Cynthia (donate), or any of the other Dancing Stars, go to act.alz.org/ BaltimoreMemoryBall. At presstime, Cynthia has already raised $105,000!
You can buy tickets to the April 26 event at the BaltimoreMemoryBall website as well, or you can contact David J. Jonas at dljonas@alz.org or 443.632.9723.
