Feeding School Kids

Origins:

From Jan. 1 through March 31, 2025, 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 as part of The GIANT Company’s annual Feeding School Kids initiative. The GIANT Company also donated $100,000 to the program. In total, the 2025 Feeding School Kids initiative, raised more than $1.2 million to address food security throughout local public school districts in the communities The GIANT Company serves. Funds donated by customers benefited the local public school district in the community in which it was 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. Through Feeding School Kids, public school districts were able to support meal programs from supplying backpacks with weekend food to clearing outstanding student lunch debt to building on-campus food pantries and establishing garden programs. The top five public school districts receiving funds from the Feeding School Kids initiative in 2025 include:

- $21,982 - Frederick County Public Schools, Winchester, Va.

-  $20,071 - North Penn School District, Lansdale, Pa.

-  $50,520 - The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa.

- $23,281 - Washington County Public Schools, Hagerstown, Md.

- $38,573 - West Chester Area School District, Exton, Pa. 

Contribution:

Together, The GIANT Company’s customers and team members have raised more than $8.5 million over the past five years through the Feeding School Kids initiative to address food insecurity in local public schools. To launch the campaign, The GIANT Company has contributed $100,000 annually.

Objectives:

Guided by its purpose of connecting families for a better future, The GIANT Company collaborates with nonprofits, schools, and other organizations that work toward eliminating hunger. The GIANT Company’s objectives for its Feeding School Kids initiative include:

- Working toward eliminating hunger in communities the company serves

- Collaborating with local schools to support even more families in need because when students have a full stomach, they can focus on learning

- Providing families who are experiencing food security access to food and nutrition resources

Impact:

The 2025 Feeding School Kids initiative resulted in funding for 175 public school districts, impacting tens of thousands of students. Participating public school districts report how they use the funds to address food insecurity, with anticipated examples including support meal programs, backpacks with weekend food to clearing outstanding student lunch debt to building on-campus food pantries and establishing garden programs.

According to Carroll County Public Schools’ Facebook page, “Through The GIANT Company’s Feeding School Kids initiative, Carroll County Public Schools has received $13,768.24 to combat childhood hunger and food insecurity. The funding will be used to offset unpaid meal debt within the school meals program.” The GIANT Company’s Feeding School Kids initiative also generated 61 news clips and 11.8 million potential impressions.

Quote:

“Studies have shown a direct link between good nutrition and a student’s ability to learn, which is why school food programs are crucial when it comes to eliminating hunger,” said John Ruane, president, The GIANT Company. “These programs help to ensure children have regular access to nutrition food not only during school, but on weekends and during school breaks, so they can focus on learning and not where their next meal may come from. Together with our customers and team members, The GIANT Company has raised more than $8.5 million over the past five years for local public school districts to fight student hunger.”

Support Statement:

“The funds awarded to us through Feeding School Kids are instrumental for our food pack program. We work to feed and support the basic needs of more than 1,500 students a week,” said Elise Stine-Dolinar, program coordinator and director of Bright Futures – Frederick/Winchester (Frederick County Public Schools, Winchester, Va.). “Many students rely on weekend food bags to get them through times when they don't have school meals. We see students coming to school on Monday who have not eaten a meal since they left on Friday. We see children who are in survival mode every day. The support from The GIANT Company helps us ensure that our community's students have their most basic needs met, so they in turn, can learn.”