Hannaford Supermarkets is celebrating a milestone for its reusable bag charitable program, delivering more than $3 million in total donations to community partners in New England and New York.
The Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag program welcomes shoppers to purchase special “Fight Hunger” and “Community” reusable shopping bags at store registers and front ends. With each bag sold, Hannaford donates $1 to a local hunger relief agency or non-profit organization in the store’s community.
Since the program began in 2014, more than 3.5 million reusable bags have been sold, benefitting more than 6,000 nonprofits. These bags replaced the need for 11.3 million single-use bags. Additionally, nearly 14.5 million meals have been provided through the purchase of the bags.
“This program offers an easy way for our customers to support local nonprofits and the environment,” said Sherri Stevens, Hannaford Supermarkets’ community relations manager. “This amazing milestone shows us how small actions over time can build to create a big impact for the non-profit organizations that keep our communities healthy and thriving.”
The Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag Program has two facets: the “Fight Hunger” bag, which benefits hunger relief organizations in the five states where Hannaford operates; and the “Community” bag, which supports local nonprofits focused on a variety of causes, including health and wellness and child and family development. Each month, Hannaford stores choose a different local nonprofit to receive the donations.
A related effort at Hannaford is also generating substantial donations for local organizations. Through the Bloomin’ 4 Good program, Hannaford donates $1 to a non-profit each time customers buy a flower bouquet with a red circle that highlights the support. This spring, Bloomin’ 4 Good reached the threshold of $300,000 in donations, benefitting more than 3,000 local charities.
PAWS Animal Adoption Center in Camden, Maine, is one of the many nonprofits that has benefitted from the programs.
“All funds raised through the Hannaford initiatives go directly to support care of the animals in the shelter,” said PAWS Animal Adoption Center Executive Director Shelly Butler. “PAWS is humbled by the number of initiatives that Hannaford offers to assist non-profits in our area.”
Both the Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag Program and Bloomin’ 4 Good at Hannaford were developed in partnership with PS It Matters, a Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based organization that helps administer the initiatives.
In addition to supporting the community, the Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag Program is an extension of Hannaford’s commitment to reducing waste and protecting the environment. In the mid-1980s, Hannaford became the first grocery retailer in the nation to introduce reusable bags to its customers.
About Hannaford Supermarkets
Hannaford Supermarkets operates 189 stores in the Northeast, most with full-service pharmacies. Its stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. Hannaford also is an active and committed community partner—focusing on fighting hunger, supporting youth development and helping people live healthier lives.
Hannaford is an industry leader in sustainability with a strong commitment to reducing waste and protecting the environment. In 2023, Hannaford donated 26 million pounds of food to hunger relief organizations. Hannaford has about 30,000 employees and is based in Scarborough, Maine.
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