Southeastern Grocers awards 50 local nonprofits with more than $480K in grant funds
Southeastern Grocers, parent company and home of Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, announced the 2024 recipients of its annual Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant.
The grant’s namesake, Ms. Romay as she was lovingly called, died earlier this year at the age of 104. In a special tribute, the grocer’s program is supporting 50 nonprofit organizations this year in remembrance and celebration of her incredible life and legacy.
The deserving recipients, chosen from a competitive pool of applicants, exemplify the same unwavering dedication to inclusivity and empowerment that Ms. Romay embodied throughout her extraordinary life.
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The Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant supports organizations that work to address racial disparities in health care, food insecurity and education, while building a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
On Ms. Romay’s birthday, SEG is awarding a total of $487,500 in grant funds to the following 50 nonprofit recipients:
- 904WARD
- American Diabetes Association
- Baptist Health
- Better Basics
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County
- Boys and Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley
- Breakthrough Birmingham
- Brighter Bites
- College Choice Foundation
- Communities In Schools of Jacksonville
- Concrete Jungle
- Covenant House New Orleans
- Extra Table
- Feeding Northeast Florida
- Feeding Tampa Bay
- First Coast American Heart Association
- Foundation Honey
- Hope Haven
- Hunger Fight
- Jack and Jill Center
- Jacksonville Humane Society
- Junior Achievement of Alabama
- Junior Achievement of North Florida
- Leaders of Excellence
- Library Foundation of Jacksonville
- Louisiana Center for Health Equity
- Magic City Harvest
- MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation
- Open Hand
- Orlando Health Foundation
- Our Daily Bread Food Pantry
- Parker Street Ministries
- Rehab and Beyond
- Sanctuary on 8th Street
- Schoolyard Roots
- Second Harvest of the Big Bend
- Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay
- Society of St. Andrew – Alabama
- Society of St. Andrew – Florida
- Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR)
- Tankproof
- Teach for America
- The Jericho School
- The Sharing Center
- The Women’s Breast & Heart Initiative, Florida Affiliate
- Thrive Scholars
- Tree Hill Nature Center
- Vision is Priceless Council
- Youth Empowerment Project
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Raymond Rhee, chief people officer for Southeastern Grocers, said, “As a people-first company, we believe in the power of coming together to create a meaningful, lasting difference in the lives of our neighbors. We are incredibly proud to support these exceptional nonprofits that work tirelessly to uplift and empower the communities we serve. Ms. Romay’s dedication in the face of adversity is a constant inspiration for us, and we are honored to continue to uphold her remarkable legacy as we work to build a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
SEG said it is steadfast in its commitment to cultivating a culture of belonging for its associates, customers and communities across its five-state footprint. The grant program aims to provide vital funding to nonprofits that align with the grocer’s dedication to inclusivity, working to empower individuals to be their authentic selves while breaking down long-standing barriers.
Since its inception in 2020, the Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant has awarded nearly $1.6 million in funding to like-minded nonprofits with missions to elevate underserved communities throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi.