Southeastern Grocers celebrates back to school season by hosting donation program

Southeastern Grocers, the parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is kicking off a community donation program to benefit more than 420 public schools throughout the Southeast.

The three-week program continues the grocer’s commitment to support creative, inclusive environments for students to grow and thrive during the new school year.

Now through Aug. 30, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie customers are invited to support their local schools by simply rounding up their grocery bill to the nearest dollar at checkout or by purchasing a reusable Community Bag for $2.99. Every cent raised at the register and $1 from each Community Bag will be donated directly to the store’s local school to support teachers, staff and students in preparation for the upcoming school year. This commitment to foster children's education, development and wellness will provide support inside and outside the classroom, including job opportunities to shape and empower future leaders.

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"As inflationary pressures continue to build and impact our communities, we want to do our part to aid educators and families as they plan for the school year ahead," said Raymond Rhee, chief people officer of Southeastern Grocers.

"We encourage our customers to join us in this effort by rounding up their total grocery bill at checkout to support their neighborhood schools and enrich student programs to cultivate positive learning environments where young minds and hearts can thrive," Rhee continued. "We are also listening to our customers who are having to make the difficult decision to cut back on spending to cover expenses for the upcoming school year. That’s why we are offering additional ways our customers can save on groceries and supplies they need most as students head back to class.”

According to the National Retail Federation, more than one-third of consumers (38%) said they are cutting back in other spending areas to cover the cost of items for the upcoming school year as inflation continues to rise. To help combat inflationary pressures, SEG is offering a variety of savings opportunities to help families, teachers and staff save more on back-to-school needs. Now through Sept. 6, customers who purchase $35 in participating products can earn a $10 digital coupon with the Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie apps.

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August also is “Mystery Bonus Month,” where customers can enjoy added savings by checking their apps for a new weekly bonus that can go towards free groceries. Additionally, customers are encouraged to try SE Grocers' products with lower everyday prices and great quality on popular breakfast and lunch items to fuel students throughout each school day, the company said.

The grocer recently introduced a new “Break from Hunger” program to provide accessible, healthy meal options to ensure no child goes hungry. Continuing through Labor Day, customers and associates ages 17 and younger can purchase a specially prepared “Student Summer Lunch Pack” meal box at any Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket or Winn-Dixie deli department for only $2. Customers can simply request a “Student Summer Lunch Pack” and the nourishing meal boxes will include either a ham or turkey sandwich, chips, a fresh fruit item and a bottle of water. The grocer’s charitable arm will donate $1 to Feeding America for each purchase of a “Break from Hunger” meal with the goal to donate $100,000 into the community in partnership with Feeding America network food banks.

SEG said that it remains committed to making a difference by giving back to the communities it serves. In 2021, the grocer and SEG Gives Foundation presented more than 400 schools with a $352,000 donation to align with the Foundation’s support of causes that work to strengthen and improve the lives of its neighbors. Additionally, SEG donated more than $5.5 million to support neighbors in need through partnerships with 5,000-pus organizations, hosted more than 14 mobile food pantries and provided over 17 million meals to help fight hunger.