Albertsons® Companies, Inc. and The Albertsons Companies Foundation® recently announced two major hunger-relief initiatives at the South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference in Austin, Texas. The company has set an ambitious target to provide 1.5 billion meals by 2030, building on its previous commitment to deliver over one billion meals through surplus food donations and Foundation-led fundraising efforts. In addition to the new goal, the Foundation will invest $10 million annually in various hunger-relief programs, including the Innovation Spark Fund and the E.A.T. curriculum for middle and high school students.
The Albertsons Foundation Board Chair and Albertsons Executive Vice President of Pharmacy and E-Commerce, Jennifer Saenz, said, “At Albertsons, we remain committed to fighting food insecurity in the communities we serve today while working to create lasting solutions to end hunger tomorrow, and forever. The time for change is now as more than 44 million Americans, including 13.4 million children*, face the challenge of food insecurity, and we must come together across communities to solve this hunger crisis.”
During a panel discussion at SXSW, Albertsons collaborated with organizations like Kellanova, No Kid Hungry, and Regen House to explore practical solutions for combating hunger. The Foundation’s President and Executive Director, Christy Duncan Anderson, said, “Food insecurity is a complex problem that requires collaboration to create long-term, lasting solutions. By partnering with Kellanova, No Kid Hungry, and Regen House at such an innovative conference like SXSW, we have the unique opportunity to shine a light on hunger and the urgent need for communities to come together to address food insecurity and brainstorm innovative solutions.”
The Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbors initiative plays a central role in Albertsons’ hunger-relief efforts. Launched in 2014, Nourishing Neighbors has raised over $297 million to support local nonprofits fighting hunger. Albertsons stores also contribute millions of pounds of food annually to local food banks and pantries, helping to meet the urgent needs of communities across the U.S. In its most recent “Recipe for Change” report, Albertsons announced that it had donated over 92 million pounds of food in 2023, facilitating more than 76 million meals.
Albertsons’ Chief Sustainability and Transformation Officer, Suzanne Long, said, “A key component of our Recipe for Change framework is fighting food insecurity at a local level which is why we’re constantly exploring programs and partnerships that advance localized food donation solutions. We are incredibly proud of the progress we have made to date, and we’re keen to leverage and implement innovative practices as we work to achieve our new goal of enabling an additional 1.5 billion meals by 2030.”
Learn more about the Nourishing Neighbors program here: https://www.nourishingneighbors.com/