SpartanNash Hosts Mass Volunteer Event, Boxing 500,000 Donated Meals for Disaster Relief
SpartanNash recently took over the DeVos Place convention center in downtown Grand Rapids, MI to host its largest-ever annual Associate volunteer event, Helping Hands Day, benefiting disaster relief nonprofit Convoy of Hope. Approximately 700 SpartanNash Associates spent the day packing nearly 15,000 boxes containing meals that each feed a family of four for one week. More than 500,000 meals and 5,000 personal hygiene toiletry kits (total retail value approximately $1.2 million) will be given to families in need following a disaster. In addition, Convoy of Hope was presented with a check for $100,000 from the SpartanNash Foundation.
“This year, we decided to focus our efforts for Helping Hands Day on the growing number of people affected by natural disasters, and we’re so glad that 700 of our Grand Rapids Associates joined in to drive a huge impact,” said SpartanNash CEO Tony Sarsam. “As a People First food solutions company, providing quality nutrition to families in the midst of a devastating disaster is very closely aligned with our mission to deliver the ingredients for a better life. Millions of lives are turned upside down by natural disasters each year, and I’m so proud of our associates for coming together to serve and give hope to people in need during these trying times.”
Associates from SpartanNash, C.A. Carlin, dunnhumby, Hormel, Kellanova, W.K. Kellogg Co., StarKist , Advantage and ASM Global packed 24 truckloads of food, all of which are ready to be transported and distributed by Convoy of Hope as soon as disaster strikes. An additional two truckloads of food were also deployed to the Convoy of Hope distribution center in Missouri. Donations were collected by supplier partners including:
- Seneca Foods – Green Giant Vegetables
- Del Monte Foods – Canned Fruit and Pasta Sauce
- Kraft Heinz – Kraft Mac & Cheese and Kool-Aid
- WK Kellogg Co. – Kellogg’s Special K Cereal
- Sun-Maid – Sun-Maid Raisins
- Hormel Foods – SPAM
- Kellanova – Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Bars
- Musselman’s – Apple Sauce
- Hometown Foods – Hungry Jack Pancake Mix
- Winland Foods – Creamette Pasta
- Idahoan Foods – Mountain Harvest Mashed Potatoes
- StarKist Company – StarKist Tuna
- Chicken of the Sea – Pink Salmon
- Unilever – Knorr Side Dishes and Dove Shampoo
- Nissin Foods – Top Ramen
- Colgate – Toothbrushes and Toothpaste
- Henkel – Bar Soap and Body Wash
The need for disaster relief resources has grown in recent years due to the increase in disaster frequency, severity and cost. An estimated 2.5 million people were forced from their homes in the United States by weather-related disasters in 2023, according to the US Census Bureau. FEMA reported that 60 climate-related disasters caused 1,460 fatalities and 2,939 injuries from January 2020 to December 2022, with each disaster costing at least $1 billion.
“SpartanNash is not only a partner that we can count on when disasters hit, but they are also a partner that helps us prepare even before communities are in need,” said Ethan Forhetz, vice president of public engagement at Convoy of Hope. “We’re grateful for SpartanNash’s ongoing commitment to providing families around the country–and even around the world– with essential supplies.”
For more information or to donate to Convoy of Hope, visit Convoy of Hope.