Team Effort: Kroger, Butterball, DHL & Andretti Autosport Fight Holiday Hunger

Hundreds of needy Hoosiers will have a happier Thanksgiving as a result of a holiday donation by Kroger, Butterball, DHL and Andretti Autosport. This afternoon, the companies presented their annual donation to Midwest Food Bank in Indianapolis. Butterball presented 375 turkeys, Kroger donated 1000 boxes of stuffing and DHL, a long time Andretti Autosport sponsor, delivered the donation to local hunger relief agencies.

Kroger supports such endeavors as an extension of the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste plan, its national commitment to hunger relief. “Kroger is determined to end hunger wherever you find one of our stores,” said Pam Matthews, president of Kroger Central Division. “From the beginning, we have acknowledged we can’t do it alone, so Kroger appreciates the generosity of our friends at Butterball. We also admire the daily hunger relief service of Midwest Food Bank.”

The Thanksgiving essentials will be served in Indianapolis at Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center, Westminster Neighborhood Services and Wheeler Mission. John Whitaker, executive director of Midwest Food Bank, said over one million Hoosiers are food insecure. 300,000 of them are children. So, Whitaker said, “It takes a community to feed and care for a community. Once again, Kroger, Butterball and Andretti Autosport have stepped up to make sure that this Thanksgiving, food insecure families can enjoy a traditional meal this holiday season.”

Butterball President and CEO Jay Jandrain said, “At Butterball, our giving philosophy centers around providing delicious, healthy turkey for those in need, and we know that’s especially meaningful around the holidays. We’re glad to partner with the Andretti Autosport team, DHL and Kroger to serve this community that is close to their hearts, and we hope this turkey provides the centerpiece for a happy holiday meal for those who might not otherwise have one.”

At DHL we are fortunate to work with great community partners like our Andretti Autosport team throughout the year, and collaborate on projects that give back to the communities we serve during the holiday season,” said Greg Hewitt, CEO, DHL Express U.S. “We’re thankful we could be a part of this heartwarming donation and that we could deliver a piece of happiness and holiday spirit to those in need of a Thanksgiving meal.”

“This is a tradition that first started for us in 2014, and thanks to Butterball, Kroger and DHL, we’re really proud to see this tradition continue,” said Andretti Autosport CEO, Michael Andretti. “We call Indianapolis home, and the community here does so much to support Indy car racing and we couldn’t think of a better way to say thank you. Here’s hoping that the holiday season for all is a little fuller, thanks to the help of our caring partners.”