Members of the Calvin University men's and women's soccer teams and its football team were part of hundreds of volunteers who packed nearly a half-million meals at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids early this week. The volunteer work was part of SpartanNash's Helping Hands Day with food and hygiene kits headed for disaster relief efforts around the country.

On Monday, the Calvin men's and women's soccer teams were part of a group that assembled nearly 15,000 meal boxes and 5,000 hygiene kits. On Tuesday, the Calvin football team was part of more than 850 volunteers that packed the boxes with shelf-stable options like spaghetti, sauce, milk, cereal and canned protein.

This week marked the second year that SpartanNash has sponsored the event in Grand Rapids.

The boxes are designed to feed a family of four for five days. In total, 500,000 meals were donated for disaster relief victims. The total value of product was $1.7 million along with a $100,000 check that was donated to Convoy of Hope by the SpartanNash Foundation.

Last year, donations went to victims of Hurricane Helene in Florida and in the Carolinas.

The Calvin contingent was able to join the relief effort this year through the connection of 1985 Calvin University graduate Dawn Bredeweg who serves SpartanNash as its Manager of Corporate Giving.

"It was a privilege for our athletes to participate in this two-day event," said Calvin Director of Athletics Dr. Jim Timmer. "The members of our (men's and women's soccer and football) coaching staffs also jumped right in and led from the front with this endeavor which is wonderful. Having a chance to join the West Michigan community in a mission of outreach is valuable time spent. Thanks to SpartanNash and Convoy of Hope for helping make this event happen."

According to SpartanNash President and CEP Tony Sarsam, the Helping Hands event is part of the foundation of its core beliefs. "Our SpartanNash Associates have always been generous with their time and talents, and as part of our People First culture, we were excited to get back out into our communities and volunteer," said Sarsam. "We are proud to see our team step up to make an impact for such worthy causes, demonstrating our Core Behavior of We Serve. Our Associates' volunteer efforts embody our Pillars of Giving, which are Hunger, Heroes and Hope. We have seen through the pandemic just how resilient our communities can be, and that inspires us to give our best every day and to provide support when we can."

To learn more about SpartanNash's community outreach, including participating organizations that benefited from the Helping Hands efforts, visit SpartanNash.com/corp-responsibility/.

SpartanNash (Nasdaq: SPTN) is a food solutions company that delivers the ingredients for a better life. As a distributor, wholesaler and retailer with a global supply chain network, SpartanNash customers span a diverse group of national accounts, independent and chain grocers, e-commerce retailers, U.S. military commissaries and exchanges, and the Company's own brick-and-mortar grocery stores, pharmacies and fuel centers. SpartanNash distributes grocery and household goods, including fresh produce and its Our Family® portfolio of products, to locations in all 50 states, in addition to distributing to the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Djibouti, Korea and Japan. To support its distribution business, the Company operates a strategically developed network of large-scale distribution facilities and a nationwide transportation fleet. In addition, the Company owns and operates 147 supermarkets – primarily under the banners of Family Fare, Martin's Super Markets and D&W Fresh Market – and shares its operational insights to drive innovative solutions for SpartanNash food retail customers. Committed to fostering a People First culture, the SpartanNash family of Associates is 17,500 strong and growing. For more information,