Dollar General Extends Feeding America® Partnership

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07/11/2023 - 06:55 AM

Company Provides Additional $1M to Address Food Insecurity and Celebrates 13.4 Million Donated Meals

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Dollar General (NYSE: DG) announced a $1 million donation to Feeding America® to commemorate the third-year anniversary of the organizations’ partnership. With this donation, Dollar General has now donated more than $3 million to Feeding America, as well as in-kind food donations from stores and distribution centers across the country, equating to more than 13.4 million meals since announcing its formal partnership in 2021.

“Millions of U.S. households struggle with food insecurity, and through our extensive supply chain and unique store footprint, we are able make a difference through our Feeding America partnership to help address hunger in our hometown communities,” said Denine Torr, Dollar General’s vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. “Since 2021, we have donated millions in funding and in-kind products to the Feeding America network of food banks to stock food pantries, support food distribution efforts and assist school backpack feeding programs. We are grateful for their efforts to help eliminate hunger and nourish our neighbors in need and proud to continue our support.”

Dollar General first announced its partnership with Feeding America in 2021, bringing together the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization and the nation’s largest retailer by store count. At full operational capacity, Dollar General seeks to provide up to 20 million meals each year,* which will not only help alleviate hunger in the communities it calls home, but also nearly double the number of stores that Feeding America services.

“The movement to end hunger needs all of us. We are grateful that Dollar General is an important partner in that movement, as we work together to help people across the nation access the nutritious food they need to thrive,” said Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot.

The partnership’s positive impacts on food insecurity concerns are demonstrated in various communities including:

Atlanta, Georgia

In 2021, Dollar General piloted its Feeding America partnership in the Atlanta, Georgia market. Each week, Dollar General stores and its neighboring DG Fresh distribution center send shipments of perishable and nonperishable items to the Atlanta Community Food Bank to support people facing food insecurity throughout metro Atlanta.

The success and learnings from Atlanta’s pilot supported Dollar General’s expansion to other communities, ultimately providing the equivalent of more than 3.7 million meals to Feeding America affiliates in FY 2021.

Cynthiana, Kentucky

Dollar General, in partnership with PEOPLE magazine, spotlighted four Hunger Heroes, which included DG employees and Feeding America partner volunteers whose extraordinary efforts help improve access to food in their local communities.

In Cynthiana, Kentucky, Jackie Collins works with Feeding America partner God’s Pantry as the Director of Hope’s Helping Hands. Each week, Jackie and her team collect approximately 2,000 pounds of food from multiple sources to support approximately 1,300 neighbors each month.

Fresh Produce and Healthier Food Commitment

Dollar General’s goal remains to offer fresh produce in more than 10,000 stores in the coming years, with a meaningful number of stores located in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food deserts. The Company offered fresh fruits and vegetables in nearly 3,900 stores as of May 5, 2023, with plans to have produce in 5,000 stores by January 2024, which is expected to give Dollar General more individual points of produce distribution than any other U.S. mass retailer or grocer and halfway through its commitment.

*According to the USDA, 1.2 pounds is equivalent to one meal.

About Feeding America

Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. As a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 agency partners, including food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.2 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

About Dollar General Corporation

Dollar General Corporation (NYSE: DG) is proud to serve as America’s neighborhood general store. Founded in 1939, Dollar General lives its mission of Serving Others every day by providing access to affordable products and services for its customers, career opportunities for its employees, and literacy and education support for its hometown communities. As of May 5, 2023, the company’s 19,294 Dollar General, DG Market, DGX and pOpshelf stores across the United States and Mi Súper Dollar General stores in Mexico provide everyday essentials including food, health and wellness products, cleaning and laundry supplies, self-care and beauty items, and seasonal décor from our high-quality private brands alongside many of the world’s most trusted brands such as Coca Cola, PepsiCo/Frito-Lay, General Mills, Hershey, J.M. Smucker, Kraft, Mars, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Learn more at DollarGeneral.com.