Hannaford donates $125,000 to United Way of the Greater Capital Region

For Immediate Release       
July 5, 2018  

 

Albany, N.Y. – Hannaford Supermarkets today announced a $125,000 donation to the United Way of the Greater Capital Region to assist the non-profit organization’s efforts to bridge the gaps in access to nutritious food for young children through its Summer Meals Collaborative.

 

The United Way of the Greater Capital Region will utilize the funding to support the Summer Meals Collaborative, a cross-section of health and human service providers, policy advocates and government agencies to provide free, nutritious meals to children in need when school is not in session at more than 90 sites across the greater Capital Region. The Collaborative’s collective goal is to serve 215,000 meals this summer.

 

Officials from the United Way of the Greater Capital Region and Hannaford were today joined by local officials to announce the donation and launch the 2018 Summer Meals Collaborative at Creighton Storey Homes in the South End neighborhood of downtown Albany, where the Albany Housing Authority serves breakfast and lunch daily to local children and teens during the summer school break.

 

“Hannaford is pleased to support the United Way’s Summer Meals Collaborative, a program which meets a critical need that our community partners understand well. Many families with children are stressed in meeting basic needs, including the essential need for food," said Hannaford Supermarkets Community Relations Specialist Brian Fabre. “We commend the United Way for their work in increasing access to healthy and nutritious food for local children.”

 

The donation from Hannaford will assist the United Way of the Greater Capital Region Summer Meals Collaborative in supporting statewide efforts to increase the number of meals served by three percent in 2018. The funding will also support additional outreach and engagement efforts, including learning and recreational activities for kids and teens at the meal sites.

 

“Hannaford has been a phenomenal community leader and partner,” said United Way of the Greater Capital Region President & CEO Peter Gannon. “We thank them for supporting our work with summer meals as we look to increase capacity this summer and to continue to convene, collaborate and innovate in the future”

 

In 2017, the United Way of the Greater Capital Region Summer Meals Collaborative served approximately 209,000 meals to more than 4,000 children, preventing them from experiencing a 10-week summer gap in receiving consistent, nutritious meals at a critical stage of their physical and cognitive development.

 

“Too many New Yorkers still suffer food insecurity today, but they are not alone. Thanks to the Summer Meals Collaborative and support programs like it, many more Capital Region children and families can know where their next meal will come from,” said Congressman Paul Tonko. “Thank you to the team at Hannaford, the leaders and staff of United Way of the Greater Capital Region, along with their partners for their outstanding efforts delivering nutritious meals to our neighbors who need them most.”

 

“The summer meals program is an important effort to ensure that kids will receive healthy and nutritious meals during the school break,” said Assemblymember John T. McDonald III. “Thank you to all of the partners who make this program possible and I applaud the effort to expand the program’s capacity to reach even more children.”

 

“This incredibly generous donation from Hannaford could not come at a more critical time, as the House of Representatives passed legislation that threatens funding for food assistance programs that our struggling families rely on,” said Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy. “No child should every go hungry and I look forward to continuing to work with our partners in the community, including the United Way of the Greater Capital Region, which provides hundreds of thousands of meals annually to make that a reality.”

 

The donation to the United Way of the Greater Capital Region is one component of a $500,000 commitment by Hannaford to child nutrition throughout New York and New England. Half of those dollars are being raised through the all-new Hannaford Chef’s Table program, with a financial match of $250,000 from Hannaford.

 

The Hannaford Chef's Table is a year-long celebration of simple, everyday food inspired by local chefs to help home cooks make fresh, affordable meals. The program features affordable recipes using quality and fresh ingredients created by the participating chefs in local Hannaford stores. Shoppers who purchase participating products will contribute toward a Hannaford donation to child nutrition efforts, with a guaranteed commitment of $250,000 from Hannaford.

 

The Capital Region-based participating chef is Ric Orlando, owner of New World Bistro Bar in Albany, NY. Orlando’s Chimichurri True North Salmon on the Grill recipe is currently available in all 181 Hannaford stores in the Northeast.

 

In addition to the Albany Housing Authority, key partners in the Summer Meals Collaborative include Troy Boys & Girls Club in Rensselaer County; CAPTAIN Community Human Services in Saratoga County; Schenectady City Ministries in Schenectady County; and the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York in Schoharie County.

 

For more information about the Summer Meals Collaborative, including a complete list of meal sites, call 2-1-1, text FOOD to 877-877, or visit www.SummerMealsNY.org.

 

About Hannaford Supermarkets
Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine, operates 181 stores in the Northeast. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Hannaford employs more than 26,000 associates. Additional information can be found at www.hannaford.com.

 

About United Way of Greater Capital Region
United Way of the Greater Capital Region identifies community needs and brings people, resources and partners together to address priorities in the areas of Basic Needs, Education, Income and Health. These are the building blocks for a good life and the cornerstones of a strong community. Learn more at www.unitedwaygcr.org, on Facebook at UnitedWayGCR or Twitter @UnitedWay_GCR.