Hannaford Supermarkets Donates $50K To Families In Transition

Press release from Hannaford Supermarkets:

Nov. 4, 2022

Hannaford Supermarkets announced a $50,000 donation to support Families in Transition and the renovation of the non-profit organization’s new food pantry, located at 176 Lake Avenue in Manchester.

As a result of Hannaford’s donation, the Families in Transition pantry has been reimagined to resemble the look and feel of a traditional grocery store, including shopping carts, commercial produce coolers, front door display meat freezers, and a new inventory system, amongst other features. The design offers a more dignified shopping experience for the more than 1,000 food insecure individuals and families who utilize the pantry on a monthly basis.

“This new pantry is just one example of the incredible resources that Families in Transition provides to improve the lives of thousands of individuals and families in Manchester,” said Hannaford Supermarkets Director of Operations John Fifield. “The project exemplifies the level of empathy and respect that Families in Transition has for all of its participants, ensuring the best possible experience while providing healthy, fresh food to those in need. Hannaford is firmly committed to increasing food access in our communities and we are pleased to partner with Families in Transition as we work together to achieve this goal.”

The donation is part of Hannaford’s ongoing commitment to support Families in Transition, which empowers individuals and families experiencing homelessness with housing, food programs and household necessities to achieve the best possible outcomes for their future. Since 2008, Hannaford has donated nearly $340,000 to support the Manchester-based non-profit, and has contributed 3.2 million pounds of food, equivalent to a value of $5.3 million, to Families in Transition’s hunger relief programs.

To commemorate the newly designed facility and support from Hannaford, Families in Transition hosted a special event on Wednesday, November 2, where representatives from both organizations participated in an inaugural stocking of the shelves to celebrate the longtime partnership between the two organizations.

“Families in Transition is extremely grateful for Hannaford’s long-term support of our organization and especially our food services and pantry,” said Families in Transition President and Chief Executive Officer Maria Devlin. “This most recent donation allowed us to significantly upgrade and enhance the food pantry experience for those families and individuals using this program.”

In addition to the $50,000 donation, local Hannaford stores make weekly donations to the Families in Transition food pantry – accounting for over 50 percent of all food donations. Hannaford donates more than 75 percent of produce, dairy and meat as part of the grocer’s Fresh Rescue food items.

The Families in Transition food pantry provides groceries for 1,000 Manchester individuals and families that experience food insecurity each month. The pantry currently serves approximately 50 households each day.

This press release was produced by Hannaford Supermarkets. The views expressed here are the author's own.