Meijer Simply Give hunger relief program reaches $100M donation milestone

Meijer announced on Wednesday its Simply Give hunger relief program has donated an incredible $100 million to help alleviate hunger in the Midwest since the program’s inception in 2008. During that time, the Meijer Simply Give program has provided nearly 900 million meals to communities in partnership with hundreds of local food pantries across its six-state footprint.*

“For the last 17 years, the Meijer Simply Give program has fueled the missions of food pantries for countless communities across the Midwest, ensuring neighbors in need have access to nourishing food,” Meijer President and CEO Rick Keyes said. “Reaching this milestone is more than a number – it’s a testament to the critical partnerships between our stores and local food pantries, the generosity of our customers, and the dedication of our team members. It’s proof that when we come together with a shared purpose, we can make a profound and lasting impact in the neighborhoods we call home.”

To celebrate this achievement and express its gratitude, Meijer will make a special contribution of $1.5 million to the hundreds of Simply Give pantries that continue to serve as essential lifelines for individuals and families facing food insecurity across the Midwest.

In Hamilton County, local Meijer locations are the proud partner of the following organizations:

• White River Food Pantry
• Come to me Food Pantry
• Open Doors of Washington Township
• Carmel United Methodist Food Pantry
• Louis de Montfort Food Pantry

The Meijer Simply Give hunger relief program has been able to drive such an impact in part because of customers’ shared desire to fight hunger. Customers are invited to continue supporting their communities by adding a $10 Simply Give card to their cart, which is then converted into a Meijer food-only gift card and given to the local food pantry partner associated with that store’s community.

“Our food pantry partners are truly the heartbeat of our Simply Give program, and we are thrilled to celebrate this impressive milestone with them,” said Melissa Conway, Director of Community Partnerships & Giving at Meijer. “On behalf of Meijer, we’d like to thank all our pantry partners for the tremendous care, commitment, and compassion they demonstrate every day in providing meals and comfort to families in need.”

In addition to its year-round customer efforts, the Meijer Simply Give program offers special opportunities for contributions to go further, including the campaign’s Double Match Days, the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, and other gifting initiatives.

*Meal calculation is based on the approximate average cost of a meal from select food pantry partners across the Meijer footprint. From 2008 to 2023, this was calculated at 10 cents per meal, then was adjusted in 2023 to the present meal calculation rate of 25 cents per meal.