SALISBURY, N.C. — The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation has awarded more than $1.1 million in grants to 264 nonprofit organizations as part of its spring/summer grant cycle, the company said on Monday. The funding is aimed at helping community partners combat food insecurity and expand nutritional education efforts across the grocery chain’s 10-state footprint.
Established in 2001, the Foundation has now distributed nearly $23 million to local food banks, pantries, and hunger relief organizations. The latest round of grants will support both short-term hunger relief efforts and longer-term solutions such as meal planning education, cooking instruction, and healthy eating initiatives.
“Nourishing the communities we serve is at the heart of everything we do at Food Lion,” said Natasha Brinegar, president of the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation and vice president of category management for meat and seafood at Food Lion. “These grants help our partners provide nourishment for hungry neighbors and education around nutrition—helping to combat hunger at the root and truly making a difference in people’s lives.”
In addition to addressing immediate needs through food distribution, the grants aim to enhance the capacity of local feeding agencies. Many recipient organizations will use the funding to improve infrastructure, such as refrigeration and storage, enabling them to handle more fresh produce and staple foods. Others will expand educational programming that helps community members build skills in budgeting, meal prep, and nutrition.
Operated by a volunteer board of Food Lion associates from across the company, the Foundation supports a range of hunger-relief strategies. This includes not only direct financial assistance, but also broader efforts from the retailer’s philanthropic arm, Food Lion Feeds, which coordinates product donations, disaster relief, capital support for feeding agencies, and employee volunteerism.
Since its launch in 2014, Food Lion Feeds has contributed the equivalent of more than 1.5 billion meals to individuals and families in need. Earlier this year, the company committed to doubling that number, pledging to provide 3 billion meals by 2032.
The Foundation holds two grant cycles annually. Applications for the fall/winter cycle are due by September 18, 2025, with awards announced in December. Eligible organizations must be affiliated with Feeding America or the United Way and may apply once every 12 months.
For more information on Food Lion Feeds and its grant programs, visit foodlion.com/feeds.
