By Food Bank for the Heartland
OMAHA, NE — Food Bank for the Heartland has been selected as a charity partner for Safeway stores in Sidney and Chadron and will receive donations—throughout the month of September—from its annual Nourishing Neighbors campaign aimed at helping ensure every child has access to a healthy breakfast.
All monetary donations made will be used to purchase breakfast foods for the Food Bank’s BackPack Program.
“Young minds and bodies need a healthy breakfast to kick off their day,” says Brian Barks, Food Bank for the Heartland President and CEO. “Eating breakfast improves alertness, concentration, mental performance, and mood. We’re thrilled to have been selected as the charity partner and are grateful to Safeway Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbors initiative for their ongoing commitment to fighting hunger.”
The program comes at a pivotal time for neighbors in need and community members hoping to help. The lingering effects of the pandemic—paired with skyrocketing costs on everyday essentials—have been devastating for Heartland families. The Food Bank is asking for the community’s support throughout September, as part of Hunger Action Month—a month-long campaign dedicated to help raise awareness of hunger across our country.
Food Bank for the Heartland distributes more than 8,400 “Backpack” meals each week to 256 schools across Nebraska and western Iowa. “Breakfast is an essential school supply for kids to learn, grow, and thrive. We can’t deliver nourishing food to these children without the generosity of our communities. All donations will help the 1 in 7 Heartland children struggling with food insecurity in our service area,” says Barks.
Anyone wishing to support Food Bank for the Heartland through this program can visit the Safeway in Sidney, 1944 Illinois St., or Chadron, 230 Morehead St., and make a donation to Nourishing Neighbors during checkout from September 1- 30.
About Nourishing Neighbors
Nourishing Neighbors is a program of Albertsons Companies Foundation. Our goal is to ensure that all neighbors including kids, seniors and families have access to nourishing food every day. Visit our website, nourishingneighbors.com to learn about our way and ways you can take action and help make a difference.
About Food Bank for the Heartland
Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Food Bank for the Heartland—a member of Feeding America—is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a vital focus: to provide nourishment to Heartland neighbors facing food insecurity with respect, integrity, and urgency. Food Bank for the Heartland works with 550 network partners in 93 counties across Nebraska and western Iowa offering multiple hunger-relief and nutrition programs. The Food Bank is currently providing, on average, more than 2.2 million meals each month. For more information, visit FoodBankHeartland.org.