Here For What Matters.®
Here for What Matters: Providing Nourishment to Our Neighbors in Need
Sep 03, 2024
DG serves 33% of the nation’s counties through its Feeding America partnership, donating food to more than 1,000 counties across 38 states
As the nation is currently experiencing the largest increase in food insecurity and hunger in more than a decade, Dollar General is working to address the issue by increasing access to affordable, healthy foods in the communities it calls home. Beyond its efforts to respond to needs for local, convenient retail options, the Company supports area food banks through an operational partnership which provides nourishing food to those in need. Today, DG serves 33% of the nation’s counties through its Feeding America partnership, which began in 2021, donating food to more than 1,000 counties across 38 states through its stores and distribution centers.
To underscore the importance of Hunger Action Month in September, Dollar General is highlighting the positive impact of its Feeding America partnership on the over 44 million Americans who are facing food insecurity.
Since the beginning of 2024, DG’s partnership with Feeding America has provided more than 1.8 million pounds of food to citizens of Kentucky, where ten of the nation’s most food insecure counties are located according to a recent Feeding America study. In Eastern Kentucky, God’s Pantry Food Bank, Inc. alone has received over 780,000 pounds of food from DG this year, supporting the food bank’s mission to feed Kentucky communities.
“Every day, millions of pounds of food are wasted, yet many families struggle to put meals on the table. Our Food Rescue Program and retail partnerships are vital in bridging this gap, ensuring that nutritious food reaches those who need it most instead of ending up in a landfill,” shared Shanda Oakley, Senior Manager Food Sourcing and Agency Service at God’s Pantry Food Bank, Inc. “This partnership is essential in several counties where Dollar General is the only food rescue retail partner. We are grateful for our partnership with Dollar General and consider them an invaluable part of our Food Rescue Program.”
God’s Pantry began partnering with Dollar General in 2021 and currently receives donations from 280 DG stores across its 50-county service area.
With approximately 75% of Americans living within five miles of one of DG’s 20,000+ stores, the Company is uniquely positioned to tackle food insecurity through its footprint in rural and underserved communities. This includes towns like Roselawn, Indiana with its population of less than 3,500 residents.
For 2024, Dollar General has already donated nearly 175,000 pounds of food to Food Finders Food Bank in Lafayette, Indiana which partners with Roselawn Community Food Bank to provide food to Newton County residents facing hunger. For many in need, the food donations not only help stave off hunger, but also help free up some of their limited funds for other household essentials.
"Thanks to the Dollar General donations, I was able to spend pantry money on hygiene items for the month instead of buying food," shared Laura, a donation recipient at Roselawn Community Food Pantry.
DG employees further the Company’s mission of Serving Others by combatting hunger in their own communities through volunteer efforts at local food banks. Highlights of their servant leadership include:
District Manager Ronda B. in Tulsa, Oklahoma
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, District Manager Ronda B. has been Serving Others since 1993. Once Ronda noticed the impact of DG’s Feeding America partnership in Northeastern Oklahoma communities, she became passionate about supporting and enhancing the program through empowering her store teams and volunteering at Oklahoma Food Bank each year.
"Throughout my more than 30 years serving Dollar General communities, partnering with our Feeding America local food banks has been some of my most fulfilling work," shared Ronda. "Whether we are donating to food banks in Oklahoma towns of 100 or 40,000 residents, the impact on these donations is inspiring. Each year, I take my store leadership team to the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma during the holidays to volunteer and experience the impact in person. I am passionate about educating my store teams on the partnership and how DG can further support our neighbors."
District Manager Ronda B. in Tulsa, Oklahoma
This summer, 28 DG Store Support Center (SSC) and distribution center interns volunteered more than 70 collective hours at Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee to sort and package food donations for Tennessee families.
“Throughout my internship I learned of DG’s mission of Serving Others, and for me, that truly came to life during our cohort’s service day at Second Harvest,” said Lindsey S., an intern from Pennsylvania. “To learn about the many area residents and communities the food bank serves and the role DG plays in this and many other food banks’ abilities to provide for those in need was humbling.”
District Manager Richard F. in Augusta, Georgia
When the Company began partnering with Golden Harvest Food Bank, DG District Manager Richard F. invited his team of store managers to join him to tour and learn more about how DG’s donations support the food bank’s mission of feeding the hungry in Augusta, Georgia and other surrounding communities.
“We left that day humbled and committed to align together to inspire others, fight hunger and have been rock solid since,” said Richard.
Dollar General has donated more than 190,000 pounds of food so far in 2024 to support Golden Harvest’s service area of 24 counties across Georgia and South Carolina.
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Since beginning its partnership with Feeding America in 2021, DG has donated more than $4 million and the equivalent of more than 37 million meals through in-kind food donations to serve those in need. Inclusive of those contributions is the Company’s recently announced $1 million donation in July 2024 to support the organization’s efforts to address national food insecurity.
The Atlantic Festival
Dollar General is also highlighting Hunger Action Month through a partnership with The Atlantic Festival, bringing together experts in the food and access space to network and have a focused roundtable discussion on how the public and private sector can work together to help increase access to food and healthier options in communities across the U.S.
About Dollar General
Serving Others isn’t just our mission. We bring it to life in tangible ways each day in our local communities. Explore stories of impact, and see what it means to truly be Here For What Matters®.
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