Funds to support services of Cultivate Food Rescue

Kroger observed Hunger Action Month, on Sepember 6, with a $10,000 donation in South Bend. The contribution is an extension of Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste plan and acknowledges the essential hunger relief service of Cultivate Food Rescue in northern Indiana.

“Zero Hunger | Zero Waste is the centerpiece of Kroger’s social and environmental impact plan,” said Eric Halvorson, the division’s Manager of Corporate Affairs. “In 2017, Kroger designed the plan to provide meals to hungry Hoosiers and hungry people across the country, ultimately directing more than three billion meals to such families by 2025. We should note in this early stage of Hunger Action Month, our plan is to provide not just more food, but more fresh and nutritious food. Partners such as Cultivate Food Rescue make that possible.”

“We are grateful for the generosity of Kroger as they partner with us to envision a world with no neighbor hungry and no food wasted,” said Lainie Holland, Director of Planning and Programs at Cultivate. “Thanks to Kroger’s generous donation of $10,000 toward our Cultivate Cares Food Network, Cultivate is able to continue its support to nearly 100 local pantries. Through food rescue and redistribution, Cultivate rescues perishable food that would otherwise go to waste and redirects it to pantry shelves to feed hungry neighbors in need. One pantry partner recently shared, “We have served almost double the number of guests this year that we did last, with the same amount of purchased food. The free food and support that we get from Cultivate has helped us tremendously.” We couldn’t support our community without help from partners like Kroger!”

In the first four years of Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, Kroger donated 1.8 billion meals to communities, provided $1.2 billion in charitable giving, and drove a 20% reduction in retail food waste. “With more than 1 million Hoosiers in need of food assistance, Kroger remains committed to its goals, striving to improve food access and create communities free of hunger. We proudly do that in support of essential partners such as Cultivate Food Rescue,” Halvorson said.

About Kroger Central Division:
Kroger Central Division operates food stores, pharmacies and fuel centers in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio. We are dedicated to Kroger’s Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™ and to create #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025.