SALISBURY, N.C., April 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Throughout the 2025-2026 college basketball season, Food Lion Feeds brought together student-athletes, campuses and communities through its Score to Give More initiative, helping turn moments on the court into meaningful support beyond the game.
For every free throw made by 54 participating men’s and women’s basketball teams, Food Lion Feeds helped to provide 100 meals* (up to 30,000 meals per team) to each school’s campus food pantry or local Feeding America® partner food banks. Together, these efforts helped provide more than 1.7 million meals** to those in need.
Food Lion established Food Lion Feeds in 2014 as its hunger-relief platform dedicated to ending food insecurity across its 10-state footprint. Since launching in 2019, the Score to Give More initiative has helped provide more than 8.2 million meals, supporting Food Lion Feeds’ commitment to provide 3 billion meals by 2032.
“Score to Give More brings together our passion for college athletics and our commitment to helping provide meals,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. “We’re proud to partner with student-athletes and universities that are making a meaningful difference where they live, learn and play.”
2025-2026 Regular College Basketball Season
During the regular college basketball season, student-athletes helped provide more than 1.6 million meals.
| Participating College or University | Location | Meals Provided* |
| Appalachian State University (Men’s) | Boone, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Bluefield State University (Men’s) | Bluefield, W.Va. | 30,000* |
| Bluefield State University (Women’s) | Bluefield, W.Va. | 30,000* |
| Bowie State University (Men’s) | Bowie, Md. | 30,000* |
| Bowie State University (Women’s) | Bowie, Md. | 30,000* |
| Catawba College (Men’s) | Salisbury, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Claflin University (Men’s) | Orangeburg, S.C. | 30,000* |
| Claflin University (Women’s) | Orangeburg, S.C. | 27,200 |
| Coastal Carolina University (Men’s) | Conway, S.C. | 30,000* |
| Duke University (Men’s) | Durham, N.C. | 30,000* |
| East Carolina University (Men’s) | Greenville, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Elizabeth City State University (Men’s) | Elizabeth City, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Elizabeth City State University (Women’s) | Elizabeth City, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Elon University (Men’s) | Elon, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Fayetteville State University (Men’s) | Fayetteville, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Fayetteville State University (Women’s) | Fayetteville, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Gardner-Webb University (Men’s) | Boiling Springs, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Hampton University (Men’s) | Hampton, Va. | 30,000* |
| James Madison University (Men’s) | Harrisonburg, Va. | 30,000* |
| Johnson C. Smith University (Men’s) | Charlotte, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Johnson C. Smith University (Women’s) | Charlotte, N.C. | 27,300 |
| Liberty University (Men’s) | Lynchburg, Va. | 30,000* |
| Lincoln University (Men’s) | Oxford, Pa. | 30,000* |
| Lincoln University (Women’s) | Oxford, Pa. | 30,000* |
| Livingstone College (Men’s) | Salisbury, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Livingstone College (Women’s) | Salisbury, N.C. | 29,900 |
| North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (Men’s) | Greensboro, N.C. | 30,000* |
| North Carolina State University (Men’s) | Raleigh, N.C. | 30,000* |
| North Carolina State University (Women’s) | Raleigh, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Old Dominion University (Men’s) | Norfolk, Va. | 30,000* |
| Queens University of Charlotte (Men’s) | Charlotte, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Queens University of Charlotte (Women’s) | Charlotte, N.C. | 29,600 |
| Shaw University (Men’s) | Raleigh, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Shaw University (Women’s) | Raleigh, N.C. | 30,000* |
| South Carolina State University (Men’s) | Orangeburg, S.C. | 30,000* |
| Tennessee Tech University (Men’s) | Cookeville, Tenn. | 30,000* |
| Tennessee Tech University (Women’s) | Cookeville, Tenn. | 30,000* |
| Towson University (Men’s) | Towson, Md. | 30,000* |
| University of Delaware (Men’s) | Newark, Del. | 30,000* |
| University of Maryland (Men’s) | College Park, Md. | 30,000* |
| University of Maryland (Women’s) | College Park, Md. | 30,000* |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Men’s) | Chapel Hill, N.C. | 30,000* |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro (Men’s) | Greensboro, N.C. | 30,000* |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke (Men’s) | Pembroke, N.C. | 30,000* |
| University of South Carolina (Men’s) | Columbia, S.C. | 30,000* |
| Virginia State University (Men’s) | Petersburg, Va. | 30,000* |
| Virginia State University (Women’s) | Petersburg, Va. | 30,000* |
| Virginia Tech University (Men’s) | Blacksburg, Va. | 30,000* |
| Virginia Union University (Men’s) | Richmond, Va. | 30,000* |
| Virginia Union University (Women’s) | Richmond, Va. | 27,300 |
| Wake Forest University (Men’s) | Winston-Salem, N.C. | 30,000* |
| William & Mary College (Men’s) | Williamsburg, Va. | 30,000* |
| Winston-Salem State University (Men’s) | Winston-Salem, N.C. | 30,000* |
| Winston-Salem State University (Women’s) | Winston-Salem, N.C. | 30,000* |
2026 Food Lion Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament
All 12 CIAA colleges took to the court in Baltimore, Md., during the 2026 Food Lion CIAA Basketball Tournament. Together, the teams helped to provide nearly 60,000 meals.
2026 ACC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments
Fifteen teams participated in the 2026 ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament in Duluth, Ga., and made free throws totaling more than 28,000 meals. In Charlotte, N.C., 15 teams participated in the 2026 ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, where their efforts totaled more than 38,000 meals.
For more information on Food Lion Feeds’ commitment to ending hunger, visit foodlion.com/feeds.
* Food Lion Feeds helped to provide 100 meals, up to 30,000 meals, for every free throw made by each participating team.
**$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local partner food banks.
About Food Lion
Food Lion is an omnichannel grocery retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors. More than 82,000 associates across 1,100+ stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. With a focus on hunger relief, Food Lion is a pioneer in food rescue. Since 2014, the company’s hunger relief platform Food Lion Feeds has donated more than 1.5 billion meals to those who are food insecure. The retailer has committed to donate 3 billion meals by 2032. Founded and based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com.
CONTACTS:
Food Lion Media Relations
704-245-3317
[email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1afb568a-5f2c-4257-97df-de5761aadbee