Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Launches In-Store Holiday Food Drive

Tesco's Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has launched an in-store holiday food drive at its 155 fresh food and grocery markets in California, Nevada and Arizona. The chain-wide food drive is in partnership with Feeding America, which supplies local food banks in the three states and elsewhere in the U.S. with perishable and non-perishable food items.

Fresh & Easy store customers can donate canned and packaged foods in special bins located inside the stores through Christmas Eve, December 24th.

The packaged foods will be given to local Feeding America-affiliated food banks and charities.

Each Fresh & Easy store will also make a donation, according to Roberto Munoz, the grocery chain's director of neighborhood affairs.

"We are grateful to Fresh & Easy for launching this food drive in support of our network of food banks, especially at this time of year, when so many people are struggling to feed their families as the winter sets in and the holidays approach," says Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of Feeding America.

"It's important to support our neighbors through partnerships like we have with local food banks. We are happy to support organizations year-round that help those in need, and are excited to work with our customers to give back even more this holiday season," Munoz adds.

"Since opening, [in November 2007] Fresh & Easy has built long-term relationships with neighborhood food banks and charities through partnerships established every time a store opens. The food drive was a suggestion of Fresh & Easy store employees who felt customers should have the opportunity to give back through these partnerships. Between donations from customers and Fresh & Easy stores, more than $1,000,000 in food will be given to local food banks and charities to help fight hunger this holiday season," says Munoz.

Feeding America tells Fresh& Easy Buzz it's in need of donations from food and grocery industry companies and individuals this holiday season, as it's experiencing one of the biggest demands for assistance in its history. If you can help, you'll find contact information for Feeding America at the non-profit organization's website here.