Staff Reports
Publix has now donated 100 million pounds of produce to Feeding America partner food banks, including nearly 52 million pounds to food banks in Florida.
It marks a milestone for the Lakeland-based grocer, which began purchasing produce from struggling farmers at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to both help farmers make ends meet and to help provide fresh fruit and vegetables to families in need through food bank partners.
“As a grocery retailer, we can make our largest impact by helping feed our neighbors in need. Donating 100 million pounds of produce is an example of the difference Publix associates make year round,” Publix CEO Kevin Murphy said.
“I am proud of this innovative program and how we continue to find new ways to support the communities we serve, but our work is not done. We look forward to continuing to provide our food bank partners with produce throughout the year.”
The 51.6 million pounds donated in Florida went to seven food banks across the state, including:
— Feeding South Florida (8.9 million pounds).
— Feeding Northeast Florida (8.3 million pounds).
— Feeding Tampa Bay (7.9 million pounds).
— Harry Chapin Food Bank in Fort Myers (7.7 million pounds).
— Treasure Coast Food Bank (7.6 million pounds).
— Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida (5.6 million pounds).
— Second Harvest of the Big Bend (5.5 million pounds).
“Feeding America is deeply grateful for our partnership with Publix and for the generosity they continue to demonstrate,” Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot said. “Their contribution of 100 million pounds of fresh produce makes a meaningful difference to people facing food insecurity. We look forward to continuing to work together in the movement to end hunger.”
The donated produce is just one way Publix works to make a difference in its operating area, which covers Florida and parts of the Southeast U.S.
The company has also launched its Good Together hunger alleviation campaign, which was formerly known as Feeding More Together. The program unites customers and associates twice a year to provide food to those facing food insecurity. The program also provides food from its stores that is beyond the sell-by date, but still safe for consumption.
During the company’s Fall Publix Serves Week, associates from Publix volunteer with organizations to assist individuals facing hunger.
Because of its contributions, Feeding America recognizes Publix as one of its Visionary Partners.
Publix employs more than 255,000 associates throughout its service area, with 1,376 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky.
10 comments
Jim
May 14, 2024 at 10:59 am
Nice and all, but should be identified as a press release.
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Dont Say FLA
May 14, 2024 at 11:20 am
G0P says a rising tide lifts all boats. Only problem there is nobody outside the C-suites got any dang boat.
Publix can keep donating their scraps and throwaways and saying they’re such good citizens. That’ll distract everybody from Rhonda’s State of Florida outlawing union dues being auto-deducted from union employee paychecks.
That’ll also distract everybody from Rhonda’s State of Florida legislating that unions lose their certification if they have members who don’t then pay their dues via some other mechanism now that auto-deduction got outlawed.
When auto-deduction is outlawed, only outlaws will have auto-deduction. So great, we are safe from union dues being auto-deducted from paychecks if we are in a union. But what of all the bullets that be flying all over the state? Are we safe from those yet? Nope.
State of Florida and Publix are both despicable and underhanded and couldn’t possibly get any more anti-union, but I bet they keep trying.
rick whitaker
May 14, 2024 at 8:07 pm
DSF i have never been in a union, but i am a BIG union supporter. i live in a right to work state where unions are frowned on by the christian conservatives. like florida, the government of tennessee is the worst part of the state. i blame it on christian ignorance.
Baggers for Pennies
May 14, 2024 at 11:46 am
People perceive Publix to be generous in their hiring of intellectually disabled adult to bag your groceries.
Sadly, the fact is those mentally challenged folks who don’t know not to lick their own hands and touch your food are legally allowed to be paid pennies on the normal minimum wage dollar.
That’s why they’re there working at Publix, touching your food. It’s so Publix doesn’t even have to pay minimum wage where they can avoid it.
Publix is interested in profits, even if it means you get a bit of saliva on your food every single time you shop there.
Ocean Joe
May 14, 2024 at 1:39 pm
As a loyal Winn Dixie customer, glad to see Publix donate stuff, too bad the Publix heiress helped finance the Jan 6 insurrection with $650,000.
Ocean Joe
May 14, 2024 at 1:39 pm
As a loyal Winn Dixie customer, glad to see Publix donate stuff, too bad the Publix heiress helped finance the Jan 6 insurrection with $650,000.
Ocean Joe
May 14, 2024 at 1:40 pm
I guess that was worth repeating.
rick whitaker
May 14, 2024 at 1:48 pm
OJ, a friend of mine use to be a produce manager at a large store. he said they threw out about 25% of what comes in. i suspect that 25% of produce that is not perfect, pretty, or still fresh, is what publix is “donating”. i boycotted publix when i found out about the donation, and haven’t been back since. publix is higher priced anyway, good riddance.
PeterH
May 14, 2024 at 1:57 pm
Thank you Ocean Joe for your comment!
Comments are closed.