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Subway footlong purchases to trigger $1.5M in food to needy

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April 17, 2020

Subway has joined with the nation's biggest hunger-relief organization, Feeding America, to provide up to 15 million meals as part of what the brand said is a $1.5 million donation to Americans in need. The organizations said that now through April 30, every Subway footlong purchased will also provide a meal to Feeding America, according to a news release. 

Feeding America has estimated that the nation's food banks need an additional estimated $1.4 billion over the next six months to feed those in need due to the COIVD-19 pandemic. Subway's footlong initiative is designed to chip in to that effort. 

"Subway has always been a part of the community to provide delicious subs and a helping hand – and we plan to continue to do just that during this time of hardship," Subway North America President Trevor Haynes said in the release. 

As of December 2019, the Feeding America network of food banks served about 40 million people a year. But the organization said it has seen a drastic uptick in need in an unprecedented increase of 17 million people depending on food banks due to job losses and the many other direct and indirect issues generated by the pandemic in America. 

Subway has more than 24,000 restaurants nationally, and the chain's donation is expected to put a substantial dent in food needs of many of the Americans who have been most directly affected by COVID-19. 

"Feeding America network food banks have seen an unprecedented increase in need for food assistance across the communities they serve," said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. "Subway's donation of 15 million meals will help ease the burden felt by our neighbors struggling with hunger so they can instead focus on navigating this difficult time with their families."