Gourmet News

Dollar General Extends Red Cross Partnership for Disaster Relief

Published August 9, 2022

Dollar General donates to Red Cross for Kentucky disaster relief. Photo: Dollar General

Dollar General is extending its $250,000 partnership with the American Red Cross as a member of the Annual Disaster Giving Program. DG also announced an additional $50,000 plus in-kind product donations in response to the devastating effects of the eastern Kentucky floods, and that more than 18,000 DG stores across the country are now accepting in-store collections to benefit the American Red Cross’s response efforts.

“Today’s extension of our annual American Red Cross partnership furthers our commitment to Serving Others by supporting communities across the country when they need it most,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO. “Additionally, we wanted to support the ongoing critical recovery efforts in Kentucky through product donations to those in need, as well as financial assistance to the American Red Cross, specially earmarked to our Kentucky neighbors and the recovery of those communities.”

Since 2010, Dollar General has supported the American Red Cross with more than $6.4 million in corporate donations and in-store collections to aid disaster relief and recovery efforts following hurricanes, tornados, floods, wildfires and other natural disasters.

Dollar General is committed to the communities it calls home. Beyond its continued contribution to the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program, the company has also developed several other programs to support affected communities in additional ways.

The Dollar General Employee Assistance Foundation provides financial assistance to members of the DG family who have faced specified hardships, including, among other things, the loss of a home. Since its founding in 2005, the Dollar General Employee Assistance Foundation has awarded more $15.2 million to more than 9,300 employees.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation established the Beyond Words grant program in 2006 to provide funding to school libraries impacted by disasters, helping schools rebuild, re-establish and expand library media programs. As of July 2022, the program has awarded more than $2.8 million to more than 220 schools in 31 states, positively impacting more than 118,000 students. Additionally, the Company’s national sponsorship of the Kids in Need Foundation’s Second Responder Program provides backpacks, school materials and teacher supplies to schools, students and teachers impacted by disasters.

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DYI Monster Chocolate Pops Kit to Launch for Limited Time

Published August 9, 2022

Families looking for a fun Halloween activity have a unique new option: tinyB Monster Chocolate Pops, an at-home chocolate-popsicle making experience. This easy-to-use kit helps kids of all ages make monster, ghost, or mummy popsicles with creamy brigadeiro (Brazilian chocolate truffle) filling.

The limited edition kit contains everything needed to temper and mold chocolate popsicle shells, fill them with brigadeiro and cover them with colorful toppings, making it simple to make chocolate Halloween ghouls and let children, family, friends and co-workers express their creativity. Kits will be available exclusively online starting on Sept. 5.

“We’ve had such a great reception for our DIY brigadeiro kits, we decided to make a Halloween monster version,” said tinyB Chocolate founder Renata Stoica, who uses her Brazilian family recipe to make tinyB brigadeiros. “The kits are a fun at-home activity for families and a great team-building activity in corporate settings. Besides, shouldn’t everyone know how to make a Monster Pop?!”

The one-of-a-kind popsicle kit comes with pouches of dark and white chocolate (used to make the outside of the popsicle) and 4 ounces of dark chocolate brigadeiro and pumpkin spice latte brigadeiro for the inside. The kit also includes an array of spooky decorative toppings like googly eyes, colorful sprinkles, nuts, popsicle sticks and a silicone popsicle mold.

tinyB Monster Chocolate Pops are gluten-free and preservative-free. Each kit makes four complete popsicles and retails for $59. Supplies are limited and orders will be fulfilled on a first come, first served basis.

San Francisco-based chocolatier tinyB Chocolate specializes in making brigadeiros, extraordinary Brazilian truffles that are adored the world over. Family-owned and operated, tinyB Chocolate makes its authentic brigadeiros fresh to order.

Stoica’s recipe strikes a perfect balance — avoiding the bitterness of dark chocolate or the sweetness of extra sugar. Perfect as gifts or wedding favors, tinyB brigadeiros are handcrafted, beautifully packaged and delivered within two days anywhere in the continental United States.

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Greene Concepts Donates Truckload of Be Water for Kentucky Flood Relief

Published August 5, 2022

Donations for Kentucky flood disaster relief are being accepted through the state at https://secure.kentucky.gov/FormServices/Finance/EKYFloodRelief

North Carolina beverage bottler Greene Concepts Inc. has donated a truckload of Be Water premium artisan bottled water to support rural residents in the surrounding areas affected by the recent Kentucky flood who have yet to receive aid.

Greene Concepts sent 1,540 cases (36,960 bottles) of Be Water to the First Church of God in Jackson for distribution among the area’s residents still in need of supplies. The truckload of Be Water arrived on Aug. 4.

“This is one of the most devastating deadly floods that we have seen in our history. These are proud, hardworking folks that just lost it all, and maybe even lost someone they love. The least we can do as human beings, as people of faith and values, is to give and do what we can to get them back on their feet,” said Gov. Andy Beshear.

“We are very grateful for the opportunity to donate Be Water to the people of Breathitt County, so that it may be delivered to the county’s most rural residents who have yet to receive potable water,” said Amy McNally, Greene Concepts’ vice president of sales and marketing. “In addition to the 37 lives lost, and many others unaccounted for, the state also lost approximately 440 homes, which equates to over 31 square miles of families that have had their homes destroyed. While nothing can replace the lives lost in this tragedy, we want to do our small part in helping Kentucky residents that have been tremendously impacted.”

“We understand the urgency to assist those in peril and importance of getting our bottled water into their hands as quickly as possible,” CEO Lenny Greene said. “Many people had no advance warning of the floods, nor had any evacuation routes from the rising floodwaters. The people who reside there are proud patriots; in fact, Breathitt County is historically known as the only County in the United States to 100% volunteer for World War I and World War II.

“Mayor of Jackson, Laura Thomas, is working tirelessly to provide aid to citizens in distress, and her immediate action and resilient spirit is a testament to the Kentuckian strength. It is our hope that our donation is a catalyst for others to also support the eastern Kentucky region whose residents have suffered during this unimaginable calamity. Kentucky, we are here for you.”

Due to the overwhelming in-kind donations still being processed, volunteer organizations are asking for monetary donations to support the work being done in Breathitt County. Proceeds of donations to the Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief will go toward room and board for the volunteer teams and other relief efforts helping those impacted by the deadly flood.

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