NOVI, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lineage Foundation for Good (the “Foundation”), the independent philanthropic arm of Lineage Logistics, LLC (“Lineage”), recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. The nonprofit, which aims to redirect food that would otherwise go to waste and address hunger to support the social and economic mobility of our communities, has successfully donated the equivalent of 239 million meals over the past two years.
“Given recent events, global hunger and food insecurity is rising, affecting more than 800 million people,” said Christine Rees-Zecha, Board President of the Lineage Foundation for Good. “Through the Lineage Foundation for Good, we aim to leverage our network, expertise, and partnerships to prevent waste and redirect food into the communities that need it most. While there is still more work to do, I am proud of the accomplishments we achieved in the first year, including delivering more than 200 million meals to those in need, made possible by our dedicated team members.”
Last October, Lineage launched the Lineage Foundation for Good following the Company’s successful inaugural campaign, which provided 100 million meals to people in need during the height of the pandemic. In addition to supporting Lineage’s philanthropic efforts, the Foundation has sought to strengthen initiatives and organizations that align with the Company’s mission to create innovative and sustainable solutions to help reduce food waste and fight food insecurity.
At its inception, the Foundation set a goal to donate the equivalent of 500 million meals to people in need by 2025. To date, it is on track to significantly exceed this goal. As the Foundation continues to make progress on this commitment, it has also achieved notable progress in the following areas:
- Raised over $234,000 to support the Global FoodBanking Network and the Polish Humanitarian Action Organization’s efforts in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
- Supported Lineage team members and their families impacted by the conflict who returned to Ukraine to assist by continuing to pay their wages, as well as providing stipends to team members who are housing refugees and covered the relocation costs of five families.
- Contributed over 1,000 volunteer hours in communities worldwide, such as volunteering at food banks and distributing meals at community-based kitchens.
- Issued more than $1.6 million in community-based grants to local food banks, schools and other community-based organizations to help with operational costs.
- Donated over $600,000 to the Team Member Hardship Grant program, an initiative dedicated to financially supporting Lineage team members through times of hardship.
- In partnership with Penske, Darden Foundation, supported the donation of 10 refrigerated trucks to Feeding America® member food banks.
- Received a historic one-million-pound donation that will benefit six food banks within the Feeding America network.
- Grew its global network of partnerships to 50 strategic partners, which includes the Global FoodBanking Network, Feeding America, Empowerment Plan, Move for Hunger and the Darden Foundation. Through these partnerships, the Foundation has coordinated volunteer events and made charitable donations to partners.
“Over the past year, we’ve partnered with the Lineage Foundation for Good on their mission to reduce food waste and address food insecurity,” said Diane Letson, vice president of food industry partnerships at Feeding America. “With nearly 34 million people facing hunger in America, and amid the challenging inflationary environment many are experiencing, we are grateful for the recent work that Lineage and its partners accomplished in diverting one million pounds of food from going to waste and ensuring that it reached our neighbors in need.”
Building on the momentum of a successful first year, the Foundation is also launching the “Holidays for Good” Campaign to donate food to local communities during the holiday season. Beginning in November and running through the holiday season, “Holidays for Good” will contribute the equivalent of one million meals through customer product donations, food drives and volunteer events that benefit local community food banks.
For more information on the Lineage Foundation for Good, visit the Foundation page here. You can also reach out to foundation@lineagelogistics.com for information on partnership opportunities, volunteer events, and other ways to support.
About Lineage Foundation for Good
The Lineage Foundation for Good (the “Foundation”) is the independent philanthropic arm of Lineage Logistics, LLC (“Lineage”). The Foundation leverages the unique access, influence, experience, and expertise of Lineage, one of the world’s largest temperature-controlled logistics solutions providers, and its customers and partners to reduce food waste and fight food insecurity – a need that was accelerated by the practical challenges of getting quality food to those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Central to the Foundation’s mission is to develop a dynamic, real-time, and global link between those who commercially produce our food and the individuals, families, and communities who need it most. The Foundation creates a system in which food products, including those that might have otherwise gone to waste, can be quickly and easily steered to food pantries and other non-profits combatting food insecurity around the world. The Foundation supports various philanthropic initiatives that have an impact in the communities in which we live and work, and is proud to partner with Feeding America, the Global FoodBanking Network, and other organizations to expand its reach, maximize its impact, and help feed the world.
About Lineage Logistics
Lineage Logistics is the world’s largest temperature-controlled industrial REIT and logistics solutions provider. It has a global network of over 400 strategically located facilities totaling over 2 billion cubic feet of capacity, which spans 20 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Lineage’s industry-leading expertise in end-to-end logistical solutions, its unrivaled real estate network and the development and deployment of innovative technology help increase distribution efficiency, advance sustainability, minimize supply chain waste, and, most importantly, as a Visionary Partner of Feeding America, help feed the world. In recognition of the company’s leading innovations and sustainability initiatives, Lineage was a 2022 U.S. Best Managed Company, No. 3 in the 2022 CNBC Disruptor 50 list, No. 17 in the 2021 CNBC Disruptor 50 list, the No 1. Data Science company, and 23rd overall, on Fast Company’s 2019 list of The World’s Most Innovative Companies, in addition to being included on Fortune’s Change The World list in 2020. (www.lineagelogistics.com)