Hannaford donates $25,000 to flood recovery, launches in-store donation campaign for Vermont farms

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

 

Hannaford donates $25,000 to flood recovery, launches in-store donation campaign for Vermont farms

 

Dig Deep Vermont seeks to aid 350 farms affected by catastrophic flooding

 

BURLINGTON, Vermont– Hannaford is contributing $25,000 to Dig Deep Vermont and encouraging community donations to the grassroots effort to help family farms recover from crippling floods and extreme weather through the last four months.

 

In April and May, all Hannaford stores in Vermont will have donation kiosks available for customers to contribute to the Dig Deep Vermont campaign. Each kiosk will include a QR code for digital donations, and cash donations will also be accepted. All donations will directly support impacted farms in the store’s community.

 

“Hannaford has a long history of supporting our local farms and we are proud to be part of this neighbor-to-neighbor effort,” said Melissa Roberge, Director of Operations for Hannaford Supermarkets. “This support will reach every county in Vermont, and it will speed recovery from devastating losses at local farms that contribute so much to our communities. We encourage our customers to join us in supporting the local farms that make Vermont such a special place.”

 

Dig Deep Vermont is grassroots all-volunteer coalition focused on raising funds to support local Vermont family farms. Among the participants are the Vermont Farm Bureau; Vermont Association of Broadcasters; Vermont Association of Credit Unions; and Ski Vermont in collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture’s farm database of damage to farms.

 

“We’re grateful for Hannaford's support of the Dig Deep Vermont campaign,” said Anson Tebbetts, Vermont's Secretary of Agriculture. “The impact on over 350 family farms is profound yet often overlooked. Flooding and severe weather have inflicted damage beyond infrastructure and crops, straining finances due to lost harvests. Every contribution matters, every dollar makes a difference. We deeply appreciate Hannaford's assistance.”

 

Hannaford currently operates 17 stores in Vermont. In July 2023, Hannaford made a $100,000 donation to the American Red Cross to support immediate relief and recovery efforts from severe flooding both in Vermont and New York’s Hudson Valley.

 

Among other efforts to support local farms and products, Hannaford was the first major supermarket to join the Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership in 2023 and is partnering on a campaign highlighting local organic dairy offerings in the store.

 

Donations collected through the Dig Deep Vermont campaign are distributed to Vermont family farms impacted by 2023 and 2024’s historic floods and extreme weather. Ranked among the worst in Vermont history, the 2023 severe weather and floods wiped out crops, damaged equipment and depleted the necessary resources to keep Vermont’s family farms alive and thriving. More than 350 family farms were impacted, suffering nearly $45 million in losses collectively.

 

For more information about Dig Deep Vermont or to make a donation to support local farm recovery, visit www.DigDeepVT.com.

 

About Hannaford Supermarkets

Hannaford Supermarkets operates 187 stores in the Northeast, most with full-service pharmacies. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. All are committed to offering great fresh food, convenient experiences and everyday low prices. Hannaford also is an active and committed community partner—focusing on fighting hunger, supporting youth development, and helping people live healthier lives. Hannaford is an industry leader in sustainability with a strong commitment to reducing waste and protecting the environment. Hannaford diverts or donates all food at risk of going to waste—sending no food to landfills. In 2023, Hannaford donated 26 million pounds of food to hunger relief organizations and prevented 65 million pounds of food waste from reaching landfills. Hannaford employs nearly 30,000 associates and is based inScarborough, Maine. Additional information can be found at Hannaford.com.

 

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Media Contacts:

Caitlin Cortelyou

External Communications Manager, Hannaford Supermarkets

207-885-3132

caitlin.cortelyou@hannaford.com

 

Elizabeth Davis

Boardman Davis Communications - For DigDeepVT

802-598-7155