Grant will help advance the Food Bank’s Youth Programs

Harrisburg, PA (October 29, 2019)  –  The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank has been awarded a $30,000 KidCents Regional Grant to help advance the organization’s youth programs.

“We are grateful for the continued support of The Rite Aid Foundation’s KidCents Regional Grant program,” said Joe Arthur, Executive Director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.  “One in six children in central Pennsylvania face food insecurity. Through this grant, children and their families will be provided with fresh and nutritious food they need today as well as nutrition education materials so they can make healthy choices in the future.”

Funds from the Rite Aid Foundation’s KidCents Regional Grant Program will be used to support Central Pennsylvania Food Bank’s Youth Programs like School Pantries, Kids Café sites, and BackPack Plus Programs across our 27-county region.

The KidCents Regional Grant Program, which provides grants of $15,000-$30,000, funds specific out-of-school time programs focused on children’s nutrition, physical fitness and academic success. The KidCents program also annually supports a select group of more than 400 nonprofit, kid-focused organizations committed to improving the health and wellbeing of children living in the communities Rite Aid serves, as well as national organizations focused on critical children’s issues including The Fred Rogers Company, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and Folds of Honor.

In this cycle of KidCents Regional Grants, The Rite Aid Foundation awarded 233 nonprofit grants totaling more than $5 million. Grants were available in select counties in the following states: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington.

“The Rite Aid Foundation is committed to being a caring neighbor and making meaningful differences for the children and families who live in the communities we serve,” said Tracy Henderson, director of The Rite Aid Foundation and charitable giving initiatives. “The Regional Grant Program significantly expands the reach and impact of our KidCents program, while enabling our partner organizations to provide critical out-of-school time programs that are vital to keeping children and adolescents on track for future success.”

KidCents Regional Grants support nonprofit organizations with programs that serve children, grades K-12, and improve quality of life in Rite Aid communities. The grants support three of KidCents’ primary focus areas for improving the health and wellbeing of children: healthy eating, active living and education. To be considered, programs and projects were required to take place during out-of-school-time with priority given to programs that support communities in need.

This is the second cycle of KidCents Regional Grants. In the first cycle, The Rite Aid Foundation awarded 180 grants, totaling more than $4 million.

Another cycle of KidCents Regional Grants will launch in 2020. To learn more about the program, visit riteaid.com/grants.

About the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank

The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to reduce hunger in 27 counties across Pennsylvania. By working with more than 1,000 local agencies and partner programs, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank serves more than 135,000 neighbors in need every month. For more information on the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and its mission to reduce hunger in Pennsylvania, visit centralpafoodbank.org or call 717-564-1700.

 About The Rite Aid Foundation

Since its inception in 2001, The Rite Aid Foundation has awarded more than $63 million to nonprofit organizations. Additionally, Rite Aid, through the efforts of its customers, supplier partners and associates, has also raised more than $92 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the country since 1994.

About Rite Aid Corporation

Rite Aid Corporation, which generated fiscal 2019 annual revenue of $21.6 billion, is one of the nation’s leading drugstore chains with 2,464 stores in 18 states and pharmacy benefit management (PBM) capabilities through EnvisionRxOptions and its affiliates. At Rite Aid, we have a personal interest in our customers’ health and wellness and deliver the products and services they need to lead healthier lives. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the company’s website at www.riteaid.com.