Contact:

Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia
757.321.7049

tscott@bgcseva.org

September 22, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation Awards Grant to Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia

Summers Without Hunger grant provides support to help end childhood hunger

Virginia Beach, VA – Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia has received $20,000 from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to help nourish children and families during the summer months. The Summers Without Hunger grant supports community feeding partners by helping increase access to nutritious food, nutritional education, and resources for children and families experiencing food insecurity.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation for this generous investment in the young people and families we serve,” said Kevin Will, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia. “This support strengthens our ability to meet the needs of youth and families throughout our community, including helping address food insecurity during the summer months. Partnerships like this complement the resources available to our Clubs and help ensure young people have access to the support, opportunities, and experiences they need to thrive.”

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia has been a trusted resource for children and families across the region. Today, BGCSEVA operates 10 Clubs serving approximately 1,400 youth in Chesapeake, Franklin, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and the Eastern Shore. Each day our Clubs provide safe, welcoming spaces where young people can receive academic support, build healthy habits, develop leadership skills, explore future careers and form meaningful relationships with caring adults.

That support is designed to grow with young people and respond to what they need at different stages of their lives. A child may first come to the Club for a safe place to spend the afternoon, then find help with school, opportunities to try new activities, and adults who encourage them along the way. As members get older, they can take part in leadership development, career exploration, and programs that help them prepare for life after high school. For families, the Club is a consistent resource they can turn to throughout their child’s school years. 

The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation is committed to supporting families facing food insecurity across Food Lion’s 10-state footprint. Established in 2001, the Foundation provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to feeding local neighbors in the communities it serves. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $25 million in grant funding to help nourish communities with fresh food.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia

Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia provides safe, structured programs for youth ages 6 -18 after school and during the summer. Through supportive relationships, high-quality programming, and a focus on academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles, the organization helps young people build great futures.

Access to nutritious food is an important part of the daily Club experience at Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia. During the school year, youth receive meals and/or snacks as part of after-school programming, including dinner at some Club locations. During the summer, when children may no longer have access to meals through school, BGCSEVA helps ensure youth continue to have access to nutritious food throughout the day. In 2026, through the Summer Food Service Program and support from community partners and donors, youth had access to summer meals at all of our Club locations across Southeast Virginia. 

Each year, BGCSEVA provides approximately 90,186 meals and snacks to children and teens across Southeast Virginia. During the 2026 summer alone, approximately 17,926 meals and snacks were provided to 8,408 youth, helping families know that while their children are spending their days learning, playing, and growing at the Club, they also have reliable access to nutritious food.

About The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation 

The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C. Established in 2001, the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to eliminating hunger. The charitable foundation has provided more than $25 million in grant funding, helping to nourish communities with fresh food for backpack programs, Kids Café’s and other hunger-relief programs as well as funding for long-term programs to help shorten the lines at food banks. The charitable foundation partners with Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief agency, in addition to local food agencies serving the 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states in which Food Lion operates. For more information, visit foodlion.com/pages/food-lion-feeds.

About Food Lion

Food Lion is an omnichannel grocery retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors. More than 82,000 associates across 1,100+ stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. With a focus on hunger relief, Food Lion is a pioneer in food rescue. Since 2014, the company’s hunger relief platform Food Lion Feeds has donated more than 1.5 billion meals to those who are food insecure. The retailer has committed to donate 3 billion meals by 2032. Founded and based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com.   

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