GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Monday morning, the SpartanNash Foundation announced foundation trustees unanimously authorized a $250,000 grant to 19 state and local food bank partners in 16 different states, including Michigan.
The grant was made possible in part by a $125,000 matching contribution from the SpartanNash Corporation and contributions pledged to the SpartanNash Foundation by company associates. The SpartanNash grant is in addition to the company’s contributions for frontline hourly workers and protective measures for associates and customers.
SpartanNash’s food bank grant partners are part of the Feeding America nonprofit nationwide network of more than 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs that feed more than 46 million people a year. Depending on the location and operational model of the food bank, the SpartanNash Foundation grant should fund between 750,000 and 2.5 million meals for families in need=
“As the nation’s fifth largest food distributor and a leading distributor of grocery products to U.S. military commissaries around the world, SpartanNash has served as a trusted provider and community leader for more than 100 years,” said Dennis Eidson, SpartanNash Interim President and CEO. “We take this responsibility very seriously. The coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented strains on families, driven record unemployment, and resulted in many turning to food banks and pantries for help. By supporting our partnering food banks, we can drive greater community impact at these most uncertain times.”