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Meijer's Simply Give Spurred Millions of Store Brand Purchases

Specialty Food Association

Meijer said it will donate $1 million, equivalent to four million meals, to food pantries across the Midwest after customers made more than four million purchases with Meijer brand items throughout Thanksgiving week.

The donation is part of the retailer's plan to provide up to four million meals to its Simply Give hunger relief program—one meal for every purchase that included a Meijer brand food item November 20-26.

"To have met our goal of 4 million meals by Thanksgiving Day is especially exciting because it speaks to our customers' commitment to feeding families in need this holiday season," Meijer president and CEO Rick Keyes said in a statement. "This Thanksgiving we're especially grateful for our customers' support of programs like this. The success of this program–and of Simply Give overall–is a direct reflection of the passion our customers share with us for hunger relief in our communities."

The donation will be divided evenly between more than 250 local food pantries.

"What makes the Simply Give program so special is the active role our customers play in supporting their neighbors facing food insecurity," said Cathy Cooper, senior director of community partnerships and giving for Meijer, in a statement.

With this donation, the Simply Give program has generated a total of $76 million for food pantries across the Midwest since its launch in 2008.

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