Amid a global pandemic, children experiencing food insecurity in the United States rose last year to unprecedented levels. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that more than 6 million children in the United States were living in food-insecure households in 2020. The federal government responded to the crisis by providing increased benefits for families in need, while others across the country – nonprofit organizations and private companies alike – stepped in to provide charitable food assistance. 

Seeing an important need, Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation devoted efforts to providing healthy and nutritious meals to food-insecure families across the country. First launched in 2018, the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation has worked with more than 300 organizations to fund solutions to end hunger and waste in the areas that Kroger serves.

“We admire the strength of our national and local partners and the can-do spirit of social entrepreneurs across the country who are driving change,” The Kroger Co. President Denise Osterhues said. “Our goal is to help food produced today fulfill its highest purpose: feeding people.”

In 2020, Zero Hunger | Zero Waste worked with national and local partners in communities most in need to improve access to healthy food for families struggling to cope with the financial challenges brought on by the pandemic. The foundation donated $3 million to Feeding America and No Kid Hungry to help provide meals amid school and business closures and another $6 million to support community food banks and agency partners.

In Virginia, Coca-Cola Consolidated partnered with Kroger Mid-Atlantic and donated food to students at Hampton’s Hunter B. Andrews School. Additionally, Coca-Cola Consolidated provided 300 backpacks filled with granola bars, crackers, applesauce, fruit snacks for kids in need.

Kroger’s customers were able to support the company’s community-based food assistance work by rounding up their purchases to the nearest dollar or donating online. Store associates also redirected 90 million pounds of surplus food from its stores, processing plants and distribution centers to communities who need it, through the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Food Rescue program.

With the support of corporate and nonprofit partners along with its store associates, customers and volunteers in the community, Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation helped provide 640 million meals to fight food insecurity in 2020.

These efforts continue today. By 2025, Kroger wants to end hunger in communities and plans to donate the equivalent of more than 3 billion meals. 

Read more and see how you can get involved here.