Family Dollar Stores, Inc. (NYSE: FDO) today announced a $458,000 donation to Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger relief charity. The amount includes donations from Family Dollar and customers at more than 8,200 Family Dollar stores during the retailer’s ‘Feeding Families, Fueling Hope’ campaign. The donation translates to more than 4.5 million meals for children and families in need.

“At Family Dollar, helping families in crisis is very important to us,” said Howard Levine, Family Dollar’s Chairman and CEO. “We’re proud that our store teams and customers rallied behind such an important cause, and we know this donation will make a positive, lasting impact in communities we operate in, across the country.”

Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina in Charlotte hosted a check presentation for Family Dollar and Feeding America earlier Wednesday morning. Following the presentation, Family Dollar Team Members assembled 1,000 backpacks for the Charlotte food bank’s weekend backpack program.

“With 49 million people struggling with hunger, we know that we can’t solve the problem alone. We are happy that Family Dollar employees and customers are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with us to help ensure that kids and families in the communities we serve have enough food to eat,” said Leah Ray, Senior Vice President of Development at Feeding America.

Campaign facts:

  • Family Dollar and its customers raised $458,000 for Feeding America and 188 Feeding America-affiliated food banks.
  • This translates to more than 4.5 million meals using Feeding America’s metrics of $1 donated = 10 meals.
  • This equates to 5.5 million pounds of food.
  • 90 percent of funds raised will remain in local markets to support food bank programs.
  • 10 percent of donations will support Feeding America national programs such as their BackPack Program and School Pantry Program.

About Family Dollar

For more than 54 years, Family Dollar has been providing value and convenience to customers in easy-to-shop neighborhood locations. Family Dollar’s mix of name brands, and quality, private brand merchandise appeals to shoppers in more than 8,200 stores in rural and urban settings across 46 states. Helping families save on the items they need with everyday low prices creates a strong bond with customers who refer to their neighborhood store as “my Family Dollar.” Headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina, just outside of Charlotte, Family Dollar is a Fortune 300, publicly held company with common stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol FDO. For more information, please visit www.familydollar.com.

About Feeding America

Feeding America is a nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 37 million people through 61,000 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit http://www.feedingamerica.org/. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.