March 29, 2024 – The Charlotte Hornets and Food Lion Feed will help local families facing food insecurity as part of the fourth annual Backpack for Hunger event in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. We are distributing 3,000 backpacks to children. This backpack contains eight nutritious, ready-to-eat or easy-to-prepare foods in preparation for spring break, when school lunches will not be provided in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools.
Yesterday, a group of Hornets and Food Lion volunteers (including Hornets players J.T. Thaw and Grant Williams) packed backpacks and took part in Metrolina’s Second Harvest Food Bank’s Backpack Program. It was distributed to students as part of the program. According to a study published by Feeding America, one in five children in North Carolina and one in eight children in South Carolina experience hunger. The backpack program provides more than 200,000 backpacks annually in his 24 counties in North and South Carolina served by Second Harvest.
“As always, we are proud to team up with our friends at Food Lion Feeds and Metrolina’s Second Harvest Food Bank to fight hunger in our community.” Hornets Sports said Betsy Mack, vice president of corporate social responsibility for &Entertainment. “This initiative is very important to us and to many parents and students in the area, especially as we head into spring break. For so many, these backpacks will provide them with nutritional benefits during the holidays. access to high-quality meals is guaranteed.”
“At Food Lion, our neighbors rely on us to feed their families, and we are committed to doing everything we can to address food insecurity in our communities. ” said Meg Hamm, President of Food Lion. “We believe that no one should have to choose between dinner and rent or gas and groceries. At a time when so many families are going hungry, the Hornets and food banks We are grateful to partner with them to provide nutritious meals to students in the Charlotte area.”
Backpack for Hunger is one of several annual initiatives in which Hornets Sports & Entertainment partners with Food Lion Feed to support Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. Other events include Cornucopia, which provides Thanksgiving meals to 1,000 families each November in support of Second His Harvest, and a shopping spree for selected families at local Food Lion stores.
B-roll footage and photos of Hunger and Food Lion volunteers filling backpacks can be viewed at the following link: Backpack for Hunger.