During Hunger Action Month, Meijer is recognizing the local partnerships, customer generosity and community programs that are helping families across the Midwest access the food and essentials they need.
In 2026, Meijer advanced its commitment to hunger relief by:
- Supporting local food pantries through the Meijer Simply Give hunger relief program
- Recognizing exceptional volunteers with the Meijer Hunger Relief Hero Awards
- Raising funds through the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give
- Providing food and essentials during disaster relief efforts
- Expanding online grocery shopping for Michigan WIC recipients
Together, these efforts reflect Meijer’s year-round approach to fighting hunger in practical, local ways.
Helping donations go further through Simply Give
At the center of Meijer’s hunger relief work is Simply Give by Meijer, the retailer’s signature program supporting local food pantries across its footprint. Customers can add a $10 Simply Give donation card at checkout in stores, on Meijer.com or through the Meijer app. Each contribution is converted into a Meijer food-only gift card and given directly to the food pantry partner selected by that store, helping ensure donations stay local.
Meijer has six Double Match Days throughout the year, giving customers another way to make their donations go further. On those days, Meijer turns each $10 customer contribution into $30 for that store’s local pantry partner, helping nearly 600 food pantries keep shelves stocked for neighbors in need.
Since launching in 2008, the Meijer Simply Give hunger relief program has generated more than $100 million in donations and helped provide more than 940 million meals across the Midwest*. The program gives pantry partners flexibility to purchase the foods and essentials their communities need most, from fresh produce, dairy and meat to shelf-stable items and baby supplies.
Recognizing local Hunger Relief Heroes
This year, Meijer created a program to celebrate volunteers helping fight hunger in their own communities. In May, the retailer announced 18 recipients of its first-ever 2026 Meijer Hunger Relief Hero Awards, recognizing community volunteers who go above and beyond to help families access healthy food.
The honorees were selected from nearly 400 nominations across the Midwest. Each winner received a $500 Meijer gift card and commemorative plaque, while the nonprofit that nominated them received a $5,000 donation in their honor, strengthening the local organizations closest to the need.
Turning a community golf tradition into meals for families
Meijer continued its momentum through the 12th Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give at Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids. This year’s tournament raised $1.5 million for Meijer Simply Give, meeting its 2026 goal and helping stock the shelves of food pantries across the Midwest.
With this year’s contribution, the tournament has now generated nearly $15 million to feed families and support communities in need, bringing together Meijer team members, volunteers, sponsors, players and fans around a shared goal.
Providing food and essentials during disaster relief efforts
Meijer’s hunger relief work in 2026 also extended into disaster response, when access to food, water and everyday essentials became urgent for families facing power outages, evacuations and storm damage. Following tornadoes, severe storms and flooding across the Midwest, Meijer teams worked with partners including the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, United Way agencies, local officials, churches, shelters and food distribution organizations to help get supplies where they were needed most.
That support included bottled water, shelf-stable food, ready-to-eat meals, snacks, cleaning supplies, hygiene items, pet food, adult care products and gift cards. In Southwest Michigan, Meijer donated multiple semi-trucks of essentials to support tornado relief efforts in communities such as Three Rivers and Union City.
In Northwest Indiana and Northeast Illinois, the company provided food, water, grocery gift cards and other supplies to help families, shelters and community distribution sites during extended power and water outages.
By connecting our store, distribution and community giving networks with trusted nonprofit partners, Meijer can respond quickly when disasters disrupt access to groceries and basic resources.
Expanding access to nutritious food through digital convenience
Meijer also took steps this year to make healthy groceries more accessible for families who rely on nutrition benefits. In July, Meijer became the first retailer in Michigan to accept Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits for online and app-based grocery purchases, giving eligible customers a more convenient way to shop for essential groceries.
Customers can add their WIC card to their mPerks account, creating a personalized shopping experience that highlights eligible items.
In Michigan, approximately 190,000 women, infants and children under five years old receive WIC benefits each year, making the expansion an important step in helping eligible families access healthy foods in a way that better fits their schedules, transportation needs and household routines.
A year-round commitment with local impact
For Meijer, Hunger Action Month is both a moment to raise awareness of food insecurity and a reminder of the year-round work happening in partnership with food pantries, nonprofit organizations and community leaders.
From customers who add a Simply Give card to their cart, to volunteers serving local pantries, to community events that turn into meaningful donations and teams that mobilize food and water during disasters, Meijer’s ongoing hunger relief efforts show how immediate support can add up to lasting local impact. As the retailer continues working alongside its partners, its focus remains on helping neighbors access the food and resources they need close to home.
*One meal equates to 25 cents. Meal calculation is based on the approximate average cost of a meal from select food pantry partners across the Meijer footprint.