HAGGEN DONATING 1 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD TO LOCAL FOOD BANKS AS PART OF NEW STORE OPENINGS IN CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA AND NEVADA
Haggen Continues Tradition of Giving Back In Partnership with Feeding America To Support Communities Surrounding 100 New Pacific Southwest Stores
Irvine, Calif., 2015-5-22 — /EPR Retail News/ — Continuing a long history of giving back to the communities it serves, Haggen Pacific Southwest is donating more than one million pounds of food to local food banks from the 100 new stores the West Coast regional grocery chain is converting throughout California, Arizona and Nevada this spring. Haggen’s donation represents more than 833,333 meals to help feed the hungry. The donations began with the opening of the first Haggen store in California on March 11 in Carlsbad and will continue until June 20 when the final three stores open in Carpinteria, Long Beach and Santa Barbara.
Donated items from departments throughout each store include everything from fresh produce, baked goods, deli items and dairy, to meat, dry, canned and packaged goods. Initial recipients of Haggen food donations include, among others:
- City of Refuge of San Diego
- East County San Diego Transitional Living Center
- Feeding America San Diego
- Helping Hands of Orange County
- Grateful Hearts of Orange County
- San Diego Rescue Mission
- David’s Episcopal San Diego
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County
“Our commitment to supporting local extends beyond sourcing and into the communities around our stores,” said Bill Shaner, Haggen Pacific Southwest CEO. “We are always looking for ways we can get involved and give back, providing hunger relief, educating our youth and promoting our core value of sustainability. We’re a grocery store and, above all else, we’re here to feed families, whether that’s through the great stores we run or partnering with Feeding America to help those in need.”
“The Feeding America network provides more than three billion meals each year to families facing hunger, thanks to the help of generous partners like Haggen,” said Bill Thomas, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Feeding America. “We are grateful to Haggen for providing meals for people in need and for raising awareness of hunger in the communities they serve.”
With each store opening, Haggen is also partnering with 100 local non-profits, donating a total of $100,000 across 100 stores opening in approximately 100 days.
Local store leadership is involved in guiding the process to help make a meaningful impact in their communities. Recipients to date include, among others: Antelope Valley Boys and Girls Club in Palmdale; Central School District in Rancho Cucamonga; Clear View Elementary School in Chula Vista; La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad; Lakeside Union School District and Granite Hills High School in El Cajon; Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach; Pacific Beach Elementary School in San Diego; Southern Ravens, The League of Dreams and Van Home Elementary School in Bakersfield; Therapeutic Living Centers for the Blind in Tujunga; and Travis Ranch School in Yorba Linda. Non-profits interested in learning more about Haggen’s community giving should visit haggen.com/grow-community/our-local-community to complete an online inquiry form and submit information about their organization.
Haggen is undergoing an unprecedented expansion from 18 stores with 16 pharmacies to 164 stores with 106 pharmacies; from 2,000 employees to more than 10,000 employees; and from a Pacific Northwest company with locations in Oregon and Washington to a major regional grocery chain with locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona. To date, Haggen Southwest has opened 66 new stores in California and will be opening an additional 34 stores in California, Arizona and Nevada in May and June.
Guests who visit their local Haggen, snap a photo of their filled grocery cart and post it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with hashtags #OneStopShop and #HaggenSouthwestSweeps have the chance to win a $50 gift card now through June 15. See official rules for Haggen “What’s In Your Cart” and “Favorite Haggen Find” Sweepstakes @ http://bit.ly/1e4iBqb. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, shoppers at new Haggen Southwest stores will also enjoy three-day sales with discounts on popular items across each department. Check in-store and online at Haggen social feeds every Friday to see what new Fresh Deals will be offered throughout each weekend.Facebook.com/haggensouthwest; instagram.com/haggensouthwest; twitter.com/haggensouthwest.
About Haggen
Founded in 1933 in Bellingham, Washington, Haggen has built its business on providing guests the freshest and most local products with genuine service, while supporting the communities it serves. The company currently operates stores in Washington and Oregon, and is in the process of acquiring an additional 146 stores and establishing a second headquarters in Irvine, California. With this acquisition, Haggen will expand from 18 stores with 16 pharmacies to 164 stores with 106 pharmacies; from 2,000 employees to more than 10,000 employees; and from a Pacific Northwest company with locations in Oregon and Washington to a major regional grocery chain with locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona. Throughout its eight decades in business, the company has supported regional farms, ranches, fisheries and other businesses, creating a lasting and sustainable local food economy. The company remains focused on building local, sustainable food economies as it expands. For more information about what’s happening at Haggen, visit haggen.com, find us on Facebook or follow Haggen Southwest on Instagram and Twitter.
About Feeding America
Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
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