Food Lion volunteers help provide meals at Wilmington food bank

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — National Volunteer Week is underway, and Food Lion is marking the occasion by helping provide more than one million meals for families in need.

In partnership with the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, more than 500 Food Lion employees volunteered Tuesday across six food bank locations.

In Wilmington, volunteers gathered at the food bank’s site on Greenfield Street, where they sorted fresh produce donated by Food Lion.

Emily Kraft, the food bank’s director of community outreach, said the large volunteer turnout significantly boosted the organization’s capacity to serve the community.

“The work that our volunteers provide and having such a big day with so many volunteers is like doubling, tripling our staff for the day and that allows us to do a lot more work for our community,” Kraft said.

Food Lion said the effort supports its broader commitment to help provide three billion meals by 2032.