Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. and Acosta Sales and Marketing use Second Harvest as platform for launch of national food recovery program; donations made totaling $25,000

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (March 23, 2010) — Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. announced the roll-out of its Food Recovery Program. The program provides perishable items to local Feeding America affiliate food banks in the company’s five-state operating area.  The announcement occurred during a special presentation at Second Harvest North Florida, where the Jacksonville-based grocer and its vendor partner Acosta Sales and Marketing provided two donations totaling $25,000 to representatives from Second Harvest, the local Feeding America organization that serves 18 counties in north Florida. 

“As a grocer, we are concerned about the number of Americans seeking food assistance in today’s economy, and we are very pleased to be a part of the solution,” said Mary Kellmanson, group vice president of marketing for Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. “Our partnership with Feeding America and its network of food banks is making a meaningful impact in the fight against hunger.”

Winn-Dixie piloted the program in January 2009, and it will be rolled out to all of its 515 stores by the end of April.  The company estimates it has already donated 3.5 million pounds of food. Grocery industry average donations range between 250 and 300 pounds of useable food each week per store, including foods like bread, meats, cheeses, bagged fruits and vegetables, gelatin desserts, and sandwiches. 

“This program is a godsend for us,” said Thomas Mantz, executive director of Second Harvest North Florida. “We are grateful to Winn-Dixie for providing this invaluable community service which addresses a very real problem for neighbors on the First Coast.”

At the presentation, Winn-Dixie partnered with Acosta Sales and Marketing to present a $20,000 donation to Feeding America. The donation was a result of an in-store promotion in celebration of Frozen Food Month in March. When Winn-Dixie customers purchased select frozen food items from Gorton’s, a portion of the sales supported Feeding America — The Nation’s Food Bank Network. The funds will be divided among food banks within Winn-Dixie’s operating areas of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Additionally, the Winn-Dixie Foundation donated $5,000 to Second Harvest North Florida to directly benefit people in North Florida. 

PHOTO CAPTION: Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. and Acosta Sales and Marketing donated a total of $25,000 to Feeding America food banks in celebration of Frozen Food Month.  The two Jacksonville-based companies’ donation was the result of sales of specific products at the grocer’s 515 stores.  The Winn-Dixie Foundation also donated $5,000 to Second Harvest North Florida food bank.  (Left to right) Christina Curry, business manager of Acosta; Rick Ard, senior vice president of Acosta; Matt Gutermuth, vice president, perishables at Winn-Dixie; Thomas Mantz, executive director of Second Harvest North Florida; Marcus Adair, category manager of frozen foods at Winn-Dixie; David Welch, director of frozen and dairy at Winn-Dixie; Teri Amthor, vice president frozen foods at Acosta; and Mary Kellmanson, group vice president of marketing at Winn-Dixie.

About Winn-Dixie
Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., is one of the nation’s largest food retailers. Founded in 1925, the Company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. The Company currently operates 515 retail grocery locations, including more than 400 in-store pharmacies, in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi. For more information, please visit www.winn-dixie.com.

About Second Harvest North Florida
Second Harvest North Florida is the oldest and largest program of Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida. LSS was founded in 1979 by area Lutherans and business leaders to fill gaps in services offered in the community for people in need. Second Harvest gathers food from local and national sources, shares these resources with more than 500 nonprofit organizations in 18 north Florida counties and helps thousands of people each year who are hungry or at risk of not having being able to provide food for themselves and their families. In addition to collecting and distributing food, Second Harvest serves children in after-school programs through its Kids Cafe and BackPack programs and in summer camps through its Summer Lunch program. It also takes Mobile Pantries filled with Family Boxes of food to people living in neighborhoods with the greatest needs. Call 904.730.8234 for more information about any of these programs and services.