SAN JOSE, CA – (January 5, 2022) – NBC Bay Area / KNTV, Telemundo 48 Área de la Bahía / KSTS, and Safeway today announced that over $4.3 million was raised to fight hunger in its 2021 Nourishing Neighbors holiday food drive campaign. The donation, equivalent to over 8.6 million meals, will benefit Bay Area Food Banks – a collaboration of seven food banks serving 11 Northern California counties, which serve over 840,000 Bay Area residents monthly.
The 12th annualNourishing Neighbors campaign, a month-long initiative dedicated to helping Bay Area communities facing food insecurity, took place at 161 Safeway locations throughout Northern California from Nov. 20 to Dec. 25, 2021.
“As our community continues to endure the effects of the pandemic and the economic hardships it created, there is a critical need to support Bay Area Food Banks and our neighbors struggling with food insecurity,” said Stacy Owen, President and General Manager of NBC Bay Area and Telemundo 48. “We are deeply honored and privileged to do our part in helping those in need. We appreciate our generous viewers, Safeway and its shoppers, and our local food banks for making it possible to meet the increased demand for food assistance within our community.”
“We are grateful for our generous customers who have joined us to address hunger issues in the community,” said Karl Schroeder, Division President of Safeway Northern California. “Nourishing Neighbors, together with NBC Bay Area, Telemundo 48 and our dedicated associates, is helping keep local food banks stocked and supporting meal distribution programs in neighborhoods across the Bay Area.”
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Throughout the 2021 campaign, Safeway shoppers generously made $10 contributions by simply removing a Nourishing Neighbors flyer from the tear pads located at the checkout registers and donated. Last year, the Nourishing Neighbors food drive collected over $3 million, amounting to over six million meals for those in need.
“With the ongoing effects of the pandemic, Bay Area Food Banks estimate we’re still serving 1 million local residents,” says Regi Young, executive director of Alameda County Community Food Bank. “We not only expect to be in response and recovery mode for years to come – there’s little expectation that need will ever dip below pre-pandemic levels. Partnerships like Nourishing Neighbors are critical to all local food banks’ ability to keeping our shelves stocked and ensuring the communities know both how to help and how to receive help if needed. We’re greatly appreciative to Safeway, NBC Bay Area, and Telemundo 48 for their efforts – and to all who participated this holiday season.”
For more information about Nourishing Neighbors, visit NBCBayArea.com’s Nourishing Neighbors page and the Safeway Foundation.
About NBC Bay Area / KNTV
Owned by NBCUniversal, NBC Bay Area / KNTV is the Bay Area’s investigative station located in the heart of Silicon Valley. The station is committed to providing continuous, in-depth journalism with unique personalities. Along with broadcasting NBC’s award-winning daytime, prime-time and late night programming, NBC Bay Area produces more than 32 hours of news programming each week. The station can be seen locally on Comcast 3 and 703 and over-the-air on 11. COZI TV, the station’s digital network, offers a full schedule of America’s most beloved and iconic television series, hit movies and original programming. COZI TV can be seen locally on Comcast 186 and over-the-air on 11.3.
About Telemundo Telemundo 48 / KSTS
Telemundo 48 / KSTS is Telemundo’s local television station serving the Spanish-speaking community throughout the Bay Area. Owned by NBCUniversal, the station is committed to providing viewers with breaking news and in-depth journalism with their award-winning team of reporters, offering the most up-to-date local news, weather, sports and entertainment headlines through a variety of platforms, including online at TelemundoAreadelaBahia.com and via mobile and social media channels.
About Safeway
Safeway is one of the most well-recognized grocery retail brands with a long-standing reputation for quality and service, proudly serving Northern California since 1926. Today, the company operates over 280 stores across Northern California, Nevada, and Hawaii, under four banners, including Andronico’s, Safeway, Pak N’ Save, and Vons. In 2020, the Safeway Northern California Division donated over $30 million in food and financial support to charitable organizations in the communities it serves. Safeway Northern California is a division of Albertsons Companies.
About Bay Area Food Banks
Bay Area Food Banks is a collaboration of local food banks serving northern California counties. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, BAFB collectively served 840,000 adults, seniors and children each month through nearly 1,600 food pantries, children’s programs, shelters, soup kitchens, residential programs, and other emergency food providers. Learn more at www.bayareahunger.org.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
NBC Bay Area & Telemundo 48 – Jay dela Cruz & Liza Catalan
415-760-0476 jay.delacruz@nbcuni.com
408-234-9540 liza.catalan@nbcuni.com
Safeway – Wendy Gutshall
925-467-3523 wendy.gutshall@safeway.com
Second Harvest of Silicon Valley – Diane Hayward
408-921-4611 dbakerhayward@shfb.org
Redwood Empire Food Bank – Rachelle Mesheau
707-523-7900 x113 rmesheau@refb.org
Napa Valley Food Bank – Shirley King
707-363-1471 sking@can-v.org
San Francisco/Marin Food Bank – Pamela Wellner
415.730.0105 pwellner@sfmfoodbank.org
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano – Cassidie Bates
925-334-2766 cbates@foodbankccs.org
Alameda County Community Food Banks – Michael Altfest
