Dollar General Spotlights Four Hunger Heroes in PEOPLE Magazine Partnership
Nov 29, 2022
At Dollar General, we are committed to addressing food insecurity and improving access to affordable foods in our communities. Together with PEOPLE magazine, we are shining a light on Hunger Heroes: Dollar General employees and Feeding America® partner volunteers whose extraordinary efforts to help feed neighbors in need are making a positive impact.
“We’re inspired by the purposeful and meaningful work from each Hunger Hero and honored to help shine a light on their extraordinary efforts to help ensure neighbors have access to nutritious food,” said Denine Torr, Dollar General’s vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. “This series highlights the collaborative efforts from Dollar General, our employees, Feeding America and their partners to address food insecurity in our hometowns. Together, we can be there for our communities.”
Millions of Americans face food insecurity. In fact, more than 53 million Americans turned to a food bank or food pantry in 2021 to help put food on the table according to Feeding America. To extend Dollar General’s mission of Serving Others and demonstrate its commitment to address food insecurity, the Company announced a partnership with Feeding America, the largest charity working to end hunger in the U.S., in 2021. Since the announcement, Dollar General has donated $2 million in financial support to Feeding America and the equivalent of 3.4 million meals during fiscal 2021. At full capacity, the partnership aims to provide up to 20 million meals each year[1] through in-kind product donations from stores and distribution centers.
Jackie Collins
Director, Hope’s Helping Hands
Cynthiana, KY
Jackie serves as the Director of Hope’s Helping Hands, an in-house food pantry at Living Hope Assembly of God Church in Cynthiana, Kentucky where she leads community-wide efforts to distribute food twice a week. Jackie and her husband pick up around 2,000 pounds of food each week from multiple sources, including Feeding America partner, God’s Pantry, and support approximately 1,300 neighbors each month. Her passion to serve stems from a personal experience with disaster and a desire to pay it forward to her neighbors. “My advice on how someone can help is to go volunteer one day at your local food pantry,” Jackie said. “Really put yourself in someone’s shoes and think about what it would be like if it was you.”
We’re honored to recognize these four incredible Hunger Heroes’ dedication to Serving Others by improving access to food resources in their local communities.
“We’re inspired by the purposeful and meaningful work from each Hunger Hero and honored to help shine a light on their extraordinary efforts to help ensure neighbors have access to nutritious food,” said Denine Torr, Dollar General’s vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. “This series highlights the collaborative efforts from Dollar General, our employees, Feeding America and their partners to address food insecurity in our hometowns. Together, we can be there for our communities.”
Millions of Americans face food insecurity. In fact, more than 53 million Americans turned to a food bank or food pantry in 2021 to help put food on the table according to Feeding America. To extend Dollar General’s mission of Serving Others and demonstrate its commitment to address food insecurity, the Company announced a partnership with Feeding America, the largest charity working to end hunger in the U.S., in 2021. Since the announcement, Dollar General has donated $2 million in financial support to Feeding America and the equivalent of 3.4 million meals during fiscal 2021. At full capacity, the partnership aims to provide up to 20 million meals each year[1] through in-kind product donations from stores and distribution centers.
*According to the USDA, 1.2 pounds is equivalent to one meal.
Meet each Hunger Hero below or visit Heroes Fighting Hunger | People to watch their stories and learn more.
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Rebecca Crafton
Dollar General Store Training Manager
Elberta, Alabama
Rebecca volunteers with Blessing Boxes of Baldwin County to help provide to those in her community. The Blessing Box near her store provides neighbors in need a free, no-questions-asked resource for necessary food and hygiene items. Dollar General awarded Rebecca with a DG Kindness Award, which included a $1,000 donation on her behalf to Blessing Boxes of Baldwin County to extend more support to those in need. “Personally, I understand what it means to struggle,” said Crafton. “I’m so grateful for how this community has supported its neighbors through tough times. It’s truly a blessing.”
Antoinette Hargrove Duke
Founder of But God Ministry
Nashville, Tennessee
Antoinette is the founder of But God Ministry, a Nashville-based nonprofit to organize and facilitate monthly mobile pantries in her local community. Under Antoinette’s leadership, But God Ministry distributes up to 15,000 pounds of food each month with support from organizations including Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, a 2021 recipient of a Feeding America grant funded by Dollar General. “Giving is an easy thing to do. You just have to have that heart and that love to give back,” said Antoinette.
Meet each Hunger Hero below or visit Heroes Fighting Hunger | People to watch their stories and learn more.
_______________________________________________________________________
Rebecca Crafton
Dollar General Store Training Manager
Elberta, Alabama
Rebecca volunteers with Blessing Boxes of Baldwin County to help provide to those in her community. The Blessing Box near her store provides neighbors in need a free, no-questions-asked resource for necessary food and hygiene items. Dollar General awarded Rebecca with a DG Kindness Award, which included a $1,000 donation on her behalf to Blessing Boxes of Baldwin County to extend more support to those in need. “Personally, I understand what it means to struggle,” said Crafton. “I’m so grateful for how this community has supported its neighbors through tough times. It’s truly a blessing.”
Antoinette Hargrove Duke
Founder of But God Ministry
Nashville, Tennessee
Antoinette is the founder of But God Ministry, a Nashville-based nonprofit to organize and facilitate monthly mobile pantries in her local community. Under Antoinette’s leadership, But God Ministry distributes up to 15,000 pounds of food each month with support from organizations including Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, a 2021 recipient of a Feeding America grant funded by Dollar General. “Giving is an easy thing to do. You just have to have that heart and that love to give back,” said Antoinette.
Brian Vannoy
Dollar General Store Manager
New Castle, Pennsylvania
Brian is a Dollar General store manager in New Castle, Pennsylvania, where he and his wife, Virginia, are known for helping others in their community. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brian and Virginia saw the need to help provide food access, especially for elderly neighbors. They set up a small donation table in their front yard and encouraged neighbors to take what they needed and leave what they could. The table outside Brian’s home is now gone, but his efforts to help feed his neighbors and support his community continue. Dollar General recognized Brian's efforts with a DG Kindness Award, which included a $1,000 donation to the Homewood Heritage Foundation, a local non-profit working to meet the needs in Brian's community. “You can live without a car. You can live without a TV. But people need to eat,” Brian said. “If you can only do a small project, just do a small project. If you have the means and the capabilities to do a bigger project, go for it.”
New Castle, Pennsylvania
Brian is a Dollar General store manager in New Castle, Pennsylvania, where he and his wife, Virginia, are known for helping others in their community. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brian and Virginia saw the need to help provide food access, especially for elderly neighbors. They set up a small donation table in their front yard and encouraged neighbors to take what they needed and leave what they could. The table outside Brian’s home is now gone, but his efforts to help feed his neighbors and support his community continue. Dollar General recognized Brian's efforts with a DG Kindness Award, which included a $1,000 donation to the Homewood Heritage Foundation, a local non-profit working to meet the needs in Brian's community. “You can live without a car. You can live without a TV. But people need to eat,” Brian said. “If you can only do a small project, just do a small project. If you have the means and the capabilities to do a bigger project, go for it.”
Jackie Collins
Director, Hope’s Helping Hands
Cynthiana, KY
Jackie serves as the Director of Hope’s Helping Hands, an in-house food pantry at Living Hope Assembly of God Church in Cynthiana, Kentucky where she leads community-wide efforts to distribute food twice a week. Jackie and her husband pick up around 2,000 pounds of food each week from multiple sources, including Feeding America partner, God’s Pantry, and support approximately 1,300 neighbors each month. Her passion to serve stems from a personal experience with disaster and a desire to pay it forward to her neighbors. “My advice on how someone can help is to go volunteer one day at your local food pantry,” Jackie said. “Really put yourself in someone’s shoes and think about what it would be like if it was you.”
We’re honored to recognize these four incredible Hunger Heroes’ dedication to Serving Others by improving access to food resources in their local communities.