Scholarships awarded to student leaders making
a difference in their communities while expanding the opportunity
for community engagement among local grocery stores
GRAND
RAPIDS, Mich., Dec. 14,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Food solutions
company SpartanNash (the "Company") (Nasdaq: SPTN) today
announced the 2023 winners for its inaugural Our Family®
2023 Scholarship Program, supporting students making a positive
difference in their communities. Developed in 1904, Our Family is
the flagship private brand distributed exclusively by SpartanNash.
Through this program, the Company is extending the opportunity for
grocery shoppers at independent retailers and Company-operated
stores to apply for academic scholarships for post-secondary
education.
"As a Company rooted in the neighborhoods we serve through our
own retail stores and the independent retailers we supply, we are
proud to recognize these student leaders who are championing change
on a local level," said SpartanNash Executive Vice President and
newly named Chief Customer Officer Amy
McClellan. "These individuals have demonstrated a commitment
to serving the communities we love, helping make them better places
to live, play and grow. Their stories inspire us, and we look
forward to seeing how their leadership skills continue to grow with
the support of these financial scholarships."
Introduced in April 2023, the Our
Family® 2023 Scholarship Program invited students who live in the
same states served by SpartanNash-distributed grocery stores to
apply for a $2,000 scholarship.
Winners were chosen based on multiple short essays showcasing
community engagement through extracurricular activities, charity
work and other good deeds. Scholarships may be used toward higher
education, including two- and four-year universities, trade schools
or secondary education programs.
Highlights from some of the 2023 winners include:
- Carson Downer (Grand Rapids, Mich.): Downer supported a
local nonprofit organization focused on building children's
literacy in underserved areas. He also partnered with the National
Honor Society to feed those in need. To keep the local community
informed, Downer started the Pegasi News Network, a student-run
weekly video journalism club.
- Danniel Mubbala (Harrisburg, Pa.): After volunteering at a
local food bank during high school, Mubbala was inspired to
continue serving others, which led her to start the Harrisburg
Girls Empowerment Club. Through this club, she serves her community
in many ways, from baking treats for a retirement center to making
cards for sexual assault survivors.
- Graecin Beachy (Bristol,
Ind.): Beachy started a food drive for the Food Bank of
Northern Indiana at the local Boys
and Girls Club. Through this work, he educated members on the
importance of hunger prevention and how the community can get
involved via volunteering.
- Jonathan He (Virginia Beach, Va.): He spent time in
high school serving on the National Honor Society and participating
in local service projects. To help engage young children in their
learning, he has been volunteering at a cybersecurity camp since
seventh grade and served as a volunteer at the local Veterans
Affairs Hospital by helping senior citizens learn how to use
technology and lower their security issues.
- Matthew Holler (Rapid City, S.D.): Holler volunteers at
his church by playing music for the services. He has also been
involved with various student organizations to support his
community through activities such as food drives.
- Mehar Bhasin (New Rochelle, N.Y.): Bhasin is a regular
volunteer for the Earth Saviors Foundation, which serves abandoned
seniors and residents with intellectual disabilities. She also
co-founded STEAM Bloom, a program encouraging the exploration of
computer science among women, minorities and students from
underrepresented communities.
- Sierra Brzezinski
(Traverse City, Mich.):
Brzezinski has supported more than 35 organizations in her time
volunteering. Notable efforts include being a member of "Key Club"
in high school, where she volunteered with global and local
organizations, and participating in volunteer opportunities through
the National Honor Society.
- Sophia Mignery (Hamilton, Ohio): Mignery volunteers in her
local community by serving at Hopefull Pastures, a children's
therapy farm. She has also spent time volunteering at many 4-H
events along with acting as a mentor for the fair's Animal and Me
program, which gives individuals with disabilities the opportunity
to show animals. Mignery organized a fundraising event to provide
160 duffle bags filled with items for children entering foster care
and created special Mother's Day bags for foster moms to thank them
for their selflessness.
"Communities coming together is vital to helping set up our next
generation for success," said independent grocery store owner and
Our Family retailer Jason Nilssen of
Nilssen's Foods. "We are thrilled to celebrate these amazing
student leaders who are working hard to serve their neighbors in
meaningful ways."
For more information about the Our Family Scholarship, including
additional application criteria, please visit
www.ourfamilyfoods.com/scholarships.
About SpartanNash
SpartanNash (Nasdaq: SPTN) is a food solutions company that
delivers the ingredients for a better life. Committed to fostering
a People First culture, the SpartanNash family of Associates is
17,500 and growing. SpartanNash operates two complementary business
segments – food wholesale and grocery retail. Its global supply
chain network serves wholesale customers that include independent
and chain grocers, national retail brands, e-commerce platforms,
and U.S. military commissaries and exchanges. The Company
distributes products for every aisle in the grocery store, from
fresh produce to household goods to its OwnBrands, which include
the Our Family® portfolio of products. On the retail
side, SpartanNash operates 145 brick-and-mortar grocery stores,
primarily under the banners of Family Fare, Martin's Super Markets
and D&W Fresh Market, in addition to dozens of pharmacies and
fuel centers. Leveraging insights and solutions across its
segments, SpartanNash offers a full suite of support services for
independent grocers. For more information, visit
spartannash.com.
CONTACT:
Adrienne Chance
SVP, Communications
SpartanNash
press@spartannash.com
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SOURCE SpartanNash