Food Lion plans to provide more than 1 million meals for local food banks by partnering with customers during its annual Hunger Has a Cure campaign.

Customers can donate cash at the register or buy a $4.99 box of nonperishable and ready-made food that will be sent to local food banks.

The campaign started Thanksgiving week of and continues through Dec. 24.

“Families in the communities we serve are faced with making tough decisions, like whether to pay their rent or put food on their table,” said Food Lion President Beth Newlands Campbell. “Through our local food bank campaign, we hope to lessen the need for families in our communities to make those choices.”

Each Hunger Has a Cure box contains cut green beans, instant oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, long grain white rice and pasta sauce.

All stores have a designated food-collection area where customers can place the food boxes or other nonperishable items.

So far this year, Food Lion has donated more than 30 million meals to local food banks. In addition to the company’s Hunger Has a Cure campaign, Food Lion also plans to provide thousands of holiday meals by way of turkey and ham donations in its communities.

The company made a similar donation last Easter.

The Belhaven Food Lion donated 110 cases of hams to Martha’s Thrift Store and Food Pantry. Each case holds 12 canned hams.

“It’s just to reach out to the community,” Cooper said.

The store regularly donates food to the local food pantries. This year, Food Lion donated cash to the pantries, too.

“We donated $2,000 to several food banks,” said David Garris, director of operations for the Beaufort County area. “We have a great partnership.”

Martha’s Thrift Store and Food Pantry is a faith-based organization run by volunteers from seven area churches.

“He treats us very nicely,” said Robert Sawtell, food coordinator at Martha’s, of Cooper. “We certainly appreciate everything he does for us.”

Sawtell said the number of families the store helps each month continues to rise. Last month, 260 families, or more than 400 individuals, received groceries.

The need rises during holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

Martha’s Thrift Store and Food Pantry is located at 857 W. Main St., Belhaven. For more information about the nonprofit organization, call 943-2124 or email info@marthasofbelhavennc.org.

For more information about Food Lion’s food donations, visit www.foodlion.com.