Nutrition Security efforts

Origins:

Price Chopper/Market 32's commitment to our guests and the communities we serve has remained steadfast for over 90 years and goes beyond offering great food, selection, and low prices. We’re proud to nourish lives by supporting charitable organizations and events that make a difference. Fundraising, sponsorships and grants, advocacy, service, and food recovery at stores demonstrate our dedication to nutrition security. Our annual fundraiser at registers raises over $120,000 and benefits 11 regional food banks. In July, plush dogs will sell in stores for $10, with $3 benefiting these same food banks. Plush fruit and vegetable sales raised over $28,000 in 2023. The sale of $10 food donation bags occurs multiple times yearly. Containing items most needed by food banks, the bags are donated to a local food pantry selected by each store. Over 66,000 bags (330,000+ cans and boxes of food) have been donated since the program’s Fall 2023 inception. Gift cards, in-kind donations, and grants totaling $100,000+ are provided to food banks and pantries, community gardens and farms, meals on wheels, summer meal and backpack programs, and holiday meal distributions. 5% of sales from store grand openings is donated to local hunger relief organizations. Price Chopper/Market 32 sources all of the canned items for and sponsors Capital Region CANstruction- an exhibit and design competition of colossal structures built from canned food. Publicly displayed in Albany, NY, the structures raise awareness of food insecurity, and every can is donated to the Food Pantries for the Capital District.

Contribution:

Store teammates separate and box fresh product for collection and distribution to food banks. 2,172,034 pounds of food– 1,810,028 meals– was distributed in 2023, providing center-of-the-plate food and "donating instead of dumping." Store teams are empowered and encouraged to accommodate food drive requests. Branded collection bins, signing, and procedures are provided. Price Chopper/Market 32 fulfilled a $25,000 capital campaign commitment to the Sycamore Collaborative Community Kitchen in Schenectady, NY in 2023. A similar grant was made to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. The capital needs of nutrition security facilities remain a giving priority. Teammates represent the company on boards and committees, hunger coalitions, advocacy organizations, and attend events and summits. Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets penned an advocacy letter to NYS Governor Kathy Hochul expressing support for increasing the SNAP minimum benefit and investment in the NY Double Up Food Bucks Program in the FY2025 state budget.

Objectives:

Price Chopper/Market 32 endeavors to play a significant role in eliminating hunger in our communities. Beyond access to affordable, fresh food in our stores, we aim to nourish lives and improve health and well-being through food recovery, funding programs and projects, and nurturing partnerships to further mutual goals.

Impact:

Food banks distribute $10 worth of food, or 4 meals, for every $1 donated. Funds raised in our stores over the last year, combined with food recovered and donated, resulted in over 3.2 million meals for our hungry neighbors. Our newest food donation bag program has provided more than 330,000 canned and boxed food items to local food dignity programs. Supporting capital projects results in increased programs and services, ie the Food Bank of Western MA, which doubled its capacity.

Quote:

At Price Chopper/Market 32, we believe we are much more than just a retailer in the neighborhoods we are fortunate to call home. We pride ourselves on being a strong community partner, contributing to the well-being of our guests, and going above and beyond to provide assistance where needed. Our team works hard to provide consistent access to affordable, nutritious food, and our commitment to nourishing life takes shape in compassionate responsiveness to the needs of nutrition security programs that work to provide food dignity to those in need throughout our footprint.

- Blaine Bringhurst, President, Price Chopper/Market 32

Support Statement:

From their Fresh Recovery Program that provides food directly to our network, to the grant funding we receive for our nutrition programs, to the product donated to help Flood relief efforts Price Chopper and Market 32 come through for our communities time and time again. A recent survey of the more than 220 food shelf, meal site, hospital, and school partners that work with Vermont Foodbank to distribute food across the state shows that nearly all have seen an increase in visits in the last year—anywhere from 10% to more than 100% increases. This has meant more food distributed by Vermont Foodbank. As predicted, the need created by post-pandemic economic factors, inflation, and lingering effects from flooding last year have kept demand for food support high. We simply could not meet this need without the continuing partnership of Price Chopper and Market 32.

- Joshua Ellison, Manager, Retail Store Programs, Vermont Foodbank