HARRISBURG, Pa. — Three Central Pennsylvania school districts are among the top recipients of funding from The GIANT Company's Feeding School Kids initiative, which raised more than $1.5 million through a partnership with its customers to combat hunger throughout local public school districts in the communities it serves.
“Together with our customers and team members, we have raised more than $7.5 million over the past four years through Feeding School Kids to address food insecurity in our local public school districts,” said Jennifer Scott, chief of staff and director of community relations and charitable giving, The GIANT Company. “School food programs are crucial in ensuring that all children can focus on learning and not where their next meal may come from.”
Central Dauphin School District, Carlisle Area School District and Mechanicsburg Area School District were among the top 15 recipients of funding from the program, the GIANT Company said Monday in a press release.
From Jan. 1 through March 31, customers at GIANT, MARTIN’S and GIANT Heirloom Market stores were invited to round up their grocery purchases to the nearest dollar or convert their CHOICE points into a donation to support their local public school districts’ food programs.
The GIANT Company also donated $100,000 to the program, the company said.
Through Feeding School Kids, public school districts have been able to support meal programs and address food insecurity from supplying backpacks with weekend food to clearing outstanding student lunch debt to building on-campus food pantries and establishing garden programs.
“The money raised through Feeding School Kids will provide crucial support by ensuring students have access to extra food for weekends this summer which helps address food insecurity,” said Mike Embly, director, food and nutrition services, Washington County Public Schools. “Additionally, the money will help alleviate meal debt, ensuring that all students can enjoy nutritious meals without financial barriers, fostering a healthier and more inclusive school environment.”
The top 15 public school districts receiving funds from the Feeding School Kids initiative include:
- The School District of Philadelphia, Pa. - $81,187
- West Chester Area School District, Exton, Pa. - $45,409
- Washington County Public Schools, Hagerstown, Md. -$28,113
- Frederick County Public Schools, Winchester, Va. - $25,259
- North Penn School District, Lansdale, Pa. - $24,775
- Central Bucks School District, Doylestown, Pa. - $22,184
- Central Dauphin School District, Harrisburg, Pa. - $21,500
- State College Area School District, State College, Pa. - $19,996
- Winchester Public Schools, Winchester, Va. - $19,659
- Berkeley County School District, Martinsburg, W.Va. - $19,229
- Bethlehem Area School District, Bethlehem, Pa. - $18,729
- The School District of Haverford Township, Havertown, Pa. - $18,608
- Centennial School District, Warminster, Pa. - $18,467
- Carlisle Area School District, Carlisle, Pa. - $18,247
- Mechanicsburg Area School District, Mechanicsburg, Pa. - $16,334
Funds donated by customers benefitted the local public school district in the community in which they were given. The GIANT Company’s matching funds were awarded based on need, as determined by the percentage of students in the district who receive free or reduced meals.
For more information on The GIANT Company’s efforts to eliminate hunger in the communities it serves, visit https://go.giantfoodstores.com/eliminating-hunger/p/1.
