Hot or not, Food Lion and the Delaware State Fair focus on helping hungry Delaware families

July 26, 2016

By Gwen Guerke, Communications Coordinator

On the hottest day of the year when the heat index rose to well over 100 degrees, Food Lion, the Delaware State Fair and the Food Bank of Delaware hosted the fifth annual “Food Lion Feeds Hunger Relief Day” at the Delaware State Fair.

So what if it was hot? This year’s community effort netted 13,450 pounds of food that will be distributed to hungry Delawareans in Kent and Sussex Counties.

Here’s how the campaign worked: just outside the main gate, Food Lion and the Food Bank of Delaware set up “camp,” so to speak, to collect Food Lion brand canned or boxed food. Each fair attendee who brought five cans (or packages) received free gate admission to the Fair on Monday.

We are very thankful that Food Lion, corporately, and their army of employee-volunteers, are committed to this campaign. They put in some long hours working outside to make the day a success.

“At Food Lion, we believe no one should have to choose between dinner and paying rent or gasoline and buying groceries, said Bob Mills, Food Lion’s execution and implementation specialist for the Delaware market.” That’s why we’re so passionate about helping to end hunger in our local communities. We know the community’s help from past events has helped us to feed people in Delaware who otherwise would have to make those tough choices.”

Donations received through this year’s effort will assist families in Kent and Sussex Counties struggling to put food on the table. More than 43,000 residents of Kent and Sussex counties are considered food insecure, meaning their access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources at times during the year.

Food Bank of Delaware Milford Branch Director Chad Robinson greeted fair-goers throughout the day and spoke with media representatives as well.

“Food Lion Feeds Hunger Relief Day at the Delaware State Fair is always a great day for us. It’s amazing to see how generous the community can be, and how they make this day a success every year,” he said.

“This food will help feed hungry Delawareans in Kent and Sussex counties, and on behalf of those families, we say thank you!”

For more information about the Food Bank of Delaware’s programs, visit www.fbd.org.

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