Southeastern Grocers Strengthens Community With Hurricane Aid, Recovery
Southeastern Grocers Inc., parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, has expanded its support of Florida customers and associates in the days following the wide path of destruction from Hurricane Ian.
SEG has reopened nearly all of its Florida stores and has extended its current in-store community donation benefiting the American Red Cross. Winn-Dixie also executed relief efforts this week with distributions of free water, ice, food and cleaning essentials to more than 2,000 families in the highly impacted areas of Englewood, Port Charlotte and Pine Island.
The grocer activated mobile pharmacies to offer preventive vaccines and essential medications, along with food pantries to provide shelf-stable products, fresh produce, water, ice and essential cleaning supplies in affected areas where stores remain closed.
“Nothing prepares you for seeing Hurricane Ian’s wrath on our communities, but with more than 95 years of experience serving customers in the Southeast, we know firsthand the dangers a hurricane can bring,” said Anthony Hucker, president and CEO. “We will continue to support our associates and neighbors in the recovery process with the essentials they need most, along with critical medications to aid the health and wellness of our customers and their families. While the road to recovery may be long, we know Floridians are resilient and we embrace our responsibility to support our communities in the wake of this devastating storm in their time of greatest need.”
Additionally, the grocer’s extended in-store community donation program benefits the American Red Cross, and customers can help equip the nonprofit by donating $1, $5 or simply rounding up their grocery bill while shopping their local Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores. Every dollar donated through SEG’s community donation program will support Red Cross Disaster Relief, which provides essential aid to those affected by disasters across the country, including food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance.
The grocer also donated $250,000 to the American Red Cross earlier this year in preparation for this hurricane season, and more than $815,000 to aid and support disaster relief efforts in 2021.
SEG’s associates continue to be a vital part of these recovering communities and the impact of prolonged damage or closures to area Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores. The grocer remains steadfast in its commitment to support associates through SEG Cares, a charitable program that offers assistance for associates by associates. SEG kicked off its Hurricane Ian fundraiser to benefit SEG Cares with $200,000 donated to aid associates impacted by Hurricane Ian.
SEG was featured in Newsweek’s Most Loved Workplaces list for 2022, moving up from last year’s rank at No. 48 to No. 26 among the top 100 companies recognized for employee happiness and satisfaction at work. Produced in collaboration with the Best Practice Institute, a leadership development and benchmark research company, the Newsweek list results were determined after surveying more than 1.4 million employees from businesses with workforces varying in size from 50 to more than 10,000.
For updates on issues of interest in the grocery industry and more, subscribe to Gourmet News.