Seventeen Southwest Florida Charities Receive Funding from Winn-Dixie Foundation as part of $1.5 Million Community Investment

The Winn-Dixie Foundation announced today it is investing  $1.5 million in neighborhoods across the Southeast through partnerships with 123 nonprofit organizations, including 17 in Southwest Florida, providing a broad range of services critical to helping communities flourish and individuals triumph.

“Winn Dixie is not only committed to serving our communities as a business and employer, but to do our part to make our communities stronger,” said Mary Kellmanson, marketing senior vice-president of Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., and president of the Winn-Dixie Foundation. “We are truly honored to be able to support so many organizations in Southwest Florida and the dedicated people within them.  We are awed each year at the inspiring stories of courage and triumph shared by these organizations. ”

By providing grants to programs that feed the hungry, assist women and children in need, help the sick, and address inequalities in education and health, the Winn-Dixie Foundation touches neighbors in five states across the Southeast.

Last year, the Winn-Dixie Foundation helped fund 112 programs that brighten the lives of people who need a helping hand. Neighborhoods in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi benefited from efforts that are locally based and targeted to local needs.

The Winn-Dixie Foundation grant recipient organizations in Southwest Florida are:

• Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity
• Charlotte County Homeless Coalition
• East Pasco Meals on Wheels, Inc.
• Feeding America Tampa Bay
• Heartland Rural Health Network, Inc.
• James Elementary/Jaguars Heart Back Pack Program
• McGregor Baptist Food Pantry
• Meals on Wheels of Polk County, Inc.
• Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee
• Open Door Food Bank, Inc.
• Operations Productive Endeavor Food Bank
• St. Petersburg Free Clinic
• The Florida Baptist Children’s Homes
• The Path of Citrus County, Inc.
• The Shepherd Center Tarpon Springs
• Trinity Café
• We Care Food Pantry

About Winn-Dixie Foundation

Established in 1943, the Winn-Dixie Foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that is dedicated to making each neighborhood Winn-Dixie serves a better place to live. The Foundation awards grants to organizations that support programs and initiatives which help to foster healthy and thriving communities in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. To learn more about the Winn-Dixie Foundation, please visit www.winn-dixie.com.

About Winn-Dixie

Winn-Dixie is a subsidiary of BI-LO Holding, which is the ninth-largest traditional supermarket chain in the United States. Under the banner names of BI-LO and Winn-Dixie, the company employs 63,000 team members who serve customers in 689 grocery stores and 371 in-store pharmacies throughout the eight southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. BI-LO and Winn-Dixie are well-known and well-respected regional brands with deep heritages, strong neighborhood ties, proud histories of giving back, talented and loyal team members, and strong commitments to providing the best possible quality and value to customers. For more information, please visit www.bi-lo.com and www.winn-dixie.com.