Hunger relief is a natural fit for Albertsons as one of America’s leading food retailers.
According to Lilia Rodriguez, External Communications Field Manager for Albertsons/So-Cal/IMV, Albertsons’ mission is to “help create healthy and thriving communities by supporting non-profit organizations.” The franchise has shown its commitment to that objective through the support the company has provided to food banks throughout the years.
With a keen understanding of community needs, Albertsons regularly donates meat, dairy and fresh produce- items that are imperative to a healthy diet- to programs such as Grocery Rescue operated by Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.
Grocery Rescue is a unique and environmentally efficient program through which the Food Bank picks up nutritious food that has reached its sell-by date but is still safe for consumption. That food is then distributed to nearly 500 Orange County based agencies, including church pantries, shelters, group homes, and youth organizations.
Recognizing that it takes significant equipment to move that food, Albertsons has also provided partner organizations such as the Food Bank with donated fleet trucks to pick up food donations and deliver food to agencies, where it can be shared with people in need.
Food recovery is just one example of the company’s commitment to help build healthy communities and increase the distribution of food to struggling households. For years, Albertsons stores have offered their space as drop off locations for food drives, making it more convenient for the community to give, too, and focusing on the months when the need for food donations is most critical- during the summer and the holidays.
In the past year, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County received more than 25,000 pounds of food during seasonal food drives and more than 85,000 pounds of food was collected for the Food Bank in Girls Scouts and Boy Scouts of America’s annual Scouting for Food Drive at area Albertsons stores.
Ms. Rodriguez credits Albertsons’ mission as its reason for being so supportive of food banks, and feels the company has “demonstrated to our communities that we’re serious about fighting hunger.” In America’s most recent economic winter, more families are finding it harder to provide three meals a day. From grocery rescue programs to food drives, Albertsons continues to help build healthy and thriving communities, and food banks and those they serve are so very thankful for the company’s generosity and philanthropic efforts.