Feeding School Kids

Origins:

In 2021, The GIANT Company introduced Feeding School Kids, a new customer giving initiative to address food insecurity among students. Building on the company’s long history of supporting both schools and local hunger relief efforts, Feeding School Kids sought to make funds available to local school districts to support any meal programs they determined would best serve their community. Examples include covering outstanding student meal debt, expanding food distribution programs, and building on-campus food pantries. From January 4, 2021, through February 28, 2021, customers at GIANT, MARTIN’S and GIANT Heirloom Market stores were invited to round up their grocery purchase to the nearest dollar to donate to their local public schools’ food programs. Additionally, customers who were also members of the company’s loyalty program, CHOICE Rewards, were invited to convert their CHOICE points into a donation. For every 100 points converted into Grocery Dollars via the GIANT or MARTIN’S app, $1 was donated to the initiative. The GIANT Company matched customer donations up to $1.5 million. To promote participation and raise awareness about childhood hunger, The GIANT Company distributed a press release introducing Feeding School Kids to media outlets across its footprint. Customer participation was also encouraged via The GIANT Company’s social media outlets, website, email, in-store radio, and at the register. Schools received a toolkit of materials to help them communicate the initiative to parents and teachers. Throughout the months of January and February, the company employed social media and local PR events to drive awareness and engagement.

Contribution:

The GIANT Company contributed $1.5 million in matching donations to the Feeding School Kids initiative, as well as an additional $57,000 in other donations. The company also contributed the staff time and expenses incurred to implement and publicize the initiative to raise awareness about childhood hunger. In addition, the company mobilized its customers to contribute approximately $1.8 million to help feed kids in their local community.

Objectives:

According to Feeding America, 17 million children – 1 in 4 – may not know where they will get their next meal. Research has also demonstrated that good nutrition and the ability to learn are intrinsically connected. School food programs, including those that continued throughout the pandemic, are critical to ensuring many children receive regular meals. As part of its commitment to connect families for a better future and build stronger communities, The GIANT Company wanted to make sure every student in its brand’s footprint can focus on learning instead of their next meal. In pursuit of this goal, the objectives of Feeding School Kids were to:

• raise a combined $3 million to combat childhood hunger by mobilizing customers and donating up to $1.5 million in matching contributions,
• raise awareness about student food insecurity, and
• highlight how The GIANT Company is helping combat childhood hunger.

Impact:

The launch campaign for the new Feeding School Kids initiative was a resounding success, helping to feed 475,000 students across four states. In terms of overall donations, the campaign raised more than $3.3 million to address the issue of childhood hunger. Furthermore, earned unpaid media coverage and social media raised awareness about the challenges of childhood hunger and GIANT’s role in combating it. Media outreach generated 47 placements and more than 957,000 potential impressions. Fifty-seven social posts from schools and school districts also boosted awareness for the campaign. The company is currently conducting a post campaign evaluation and impact study, including a review of schools’ detailed reports of how the money was used.

Quote:

“This school-based giving initiative, which builds on The GIANT Company’s long history of supporting both schools and local hunger relief efforts, is part of our continued commitment to connect families for a better future and build stronger communities. Studies show how important a nutritious and balanced diet is to a child’s performance in school, and that’s why The GIANT Company wants to make sure every student can focus on learning, instead of wondering where their next meal will come from.”
--Nicholas Bertram, president, The GIANT Company

“The School District of Philadelphia is extremely grateful for the generous support offered through The GIANT Company’s round-up campaign. The last year has been challenging for us all, but even more so for some of our most vulnerable students and families who look to the District for access to reliable and nutritious meals. Even before COVID-19, we understood the role we play in providing a much-needed safety net for many of our students and this program will allow us to continue being a resource that our students need to not only learn their best, but to live their best as well.”
--William R. Hite, Jr., Ed.D., superintendent, School District of Philadelphia

“The School District of Philadelphia is extremely grateful for the generous support offered through The GIANT Company’s round-up campaign. The last year has been challenging for us all, but even more so for some of our most vulnerable students and families who look to the District for access to reliable and nutritious meals. Even before COVID-19, we understood the role we play in providing a much-needed safety net for many of our students and this program will allow us to continue being a resource that our students need to not only learn their best, but to live their best as well.” William R. Hite, Jr., Ed.D., superintendent, School District of Philadelphia

Support Statement:

“The School District of Philadelphia is extremely grateful for the generous support offered through The GIANT Company’s round-up campaign. The last year has been challenging for us all, but even more so for some of our most vulnerable students and families who look to the District for access to reliable and nutritious meals. Even before COVID-19, we understood the role we play in providing a much-needed safety net for many of our students and this program will allow us to continue being a resource that our students need to not only learn their best, but to live their best as well.” William R. Hite, Jr., Ed.D., superintendent, School District of Philadelphia